In Times When I Couldn't Hold You
by Ryee
Summary: After the joyous reunion, Yuna's peace is shattered by the return of an unexpected presence. The fayth has brought two back. There's something that Shuyin wants from her, but finding out might be her downfall. -TidusxYunaxShuyin [COMPLETE]
1. Awakening

A/N: First of all, a little note and improvement here. I have edited all the chapters and am finally stating Tidus' name. ::gasp:: ;  
  
A few people have made me realize that the story is much easier to read when his actual name is used, and my job is easier as well since I can just say it.  
  
The reason why the original chapters prior to chapter 14 didn't use Tidus' name was to keep with FFX's consistency. There was just something about how the characters never spoke his name that made me feel a bit hesitant about using it as well. I never heard what the other characters sounded like when they spoke his name, so I felt a bit odd with using it in the story. However that's all changing now.  
  
I've just been so tempted to just say Tidus' name, so I finally get to do it. Enjoy the story in its improved form. =)   
  
After completing FFX-2 and being overwhelmed with joy while watching the ending, I was tempted to write this since I haven't seen many FFX-2 fics out there yet. This takes place shortly after the game and its events, so spoilers for FFX and FFX-2 are evident and unmarked.  
  
The story is heavily focused on Tidus and Yuna's relationship, but references to Shuyin (Shuin) make appearances throughout.  
  
This is my first FINAL FANTASY X / X-2 story, and I plan to make this longer than the work I've done in the past. Although I haven't posted my other stories here yet, I will do so if/when I dig them out of the dark recesses of my hard drive. ;;  
  
Any comments/suggestions are welcomed whole-heartedly. =)  
  
Disclaimer: FINAL FANTASY X / X-2 and all characters mentioned in this story belong to Square Enix.

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**In Times When I Couldn't Hold You**  
_By Ryee_

_=========================_  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Standing there as they remained in that warm embrace, she wanted nothing more than to stay like that forever. The breeze blew against her bare arms and legs while the cool water splashed gently around their feet. She could hear their clothing rustling gently in the breeze. Soft wisps of his hair tickled the side of her face and neck making her smile with fondness.  
  
As Yuna reluctantly broke their contact to steal a glance at his face once again, her smile faded when her green and blue eyes saw his features. A more prominent jaw, wisps of hair longer than what she had remembered, but nonetheless eyes filled with a longing and sadness. He smiled at her sadly and reached behind her to draw her form close to his once again.  
  
"I've missed you."  
  
Yuna stirred slightly in her sleep, her face frowning while she let out soft breaths. While traces of sleep faded away and the foggy images of the dream dissipated, she slowly let her eyes drift open. Taking in her surroundings, she remembered that she had spent the night in Besaid Village after a night of celebration. She smiled gently at the thought and cuddled the blankets.  
  
The flap to the shelter fluttered gently from the breeze and a cool wind snuck in and hit her exposed leg. Yuna burrowed deeper into the blankets and shut her eyes with happiness at the previous night's festivities.  
  
Rikku and Paine were exceptionally joyous and even enthusiastic that night, while Wakka and Lulu spoke to her about her journey while showing little Vidina to the other visitors that hadn't yet met him. Yuna laughed a little at the thought of Paine showing a side of herself Yuna had not seen before. Paine was smiling and even dancing to the music that had erupted, and although not as passionate as the way Rikku had acted that night, Paine seemed quite happy nonetheless.  
  
Yuna took a deep breath. And of course the shocking revelation that Tidus had returned caused a brilliant smile to appear on her face. Last night had been a time for celebration, a time when all of Spira was saved, but more importantly - a time when Yuna's deepest wish had come true.  
  
She still remembered seeing him from the Celsius high from the sky. Even from the airship's bridge, she couldn't mistake his characteristic figure. The bright colors of his clothing, to the deep azure of his clear eyes - Yuna could see it all even despite the altitude. She had sprinted to the opening of the airship and almost hurt herself jumping down onto the shore to see him. Her heart had pounded so furiously out of happiness and pure joy to finally run into his arms again.  
  
Two years ago when she had run towards him as he was disappearing was a scene that she knew all too well. Since that day, she kept playing back that moment in the deepest depths of her mind, all with a heavy heart.  
  
Yuna wiped a few stray tears that had leaked from the corners of her eyes. She laughed softly. None of that mattered now. The fayth had granted the single most valuable gift to her. He was back.  
  
Pushing the blankets away and moving towards the edge of the bed, she wondered why it was so quiet in the village. More importantly, where did Tidus go? Surely everyone should have been awake by now. Yuna walked over to the doorway and slipped out into the square. Her eyes focused at the hints of sunrise peeking from the top of the temple. It was barely morning, and she realized that he wasn't anywhere.  
  
She froze. What if it was all a dream? Yuna shook her head. No. It couldn't be. He was here. Real and alive just like she had asked for. Calming herself and heading in the direction of the beach, she set out to find him.  
  
As Yuna neared the shore, she could see a lone figure sitting on the sand. Making out his distinctive wispy hair billowing gently in the early morning breeze, she suddenly felt very mischievous. Silently, without making a sound, she crept up behind him ready to make her attack.  
  
"I know you're there," he suddenly said. He didn't turn to face her but she could hear the smile in his voice.  
  
Yuna hit him playfully and frowned in defeat. "Oh, you spoiled it," she said while seating herself next to him. Her mouth opened slightly in admiration at the beauty of the water. It had been so long since Yuna had watched the sea in the early morning, and today it dazzled like crystals - a brilliant ocean of orange-red twinkling at her.  
  
As she continued to gape at the early morning's beauty, she felt a sudden warmth come around her. She turned her head to the side and smiled. He had moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Yuna sighed happily and let her back lean against his chest.  
  
"So why were you out here?" she slowly asked after some time. He was silent, but laced their fingers together.  
  
After a few more moments of silence he finally spoke. "I was just thinking about some things."  
  
Yuna looked down at their intertwined hands. She frowned a little. "What things?" she softly asked, a bit hesitant if he was willing to speak about it.  
  
She felt him shift slightly. "You know...I never thought I was going to see you again..." he trailed off. Yuna said nothing but he continued after a few moments. "All these years away from you. I thought I had lost you for good," Tidus continued.  
  
Yuna looked into the sparkling water. "I know. I felt the same," she paused and took a deep breath. She felt his hold tighten around her. "After we fought Vegnagun, I heard a whistle. It was then that the fayth appeared and asked if I wanted to see you..." she trailed off. Composing herself once more she continued. "I told him I did."  
  
She turned around to face him. His eyes were cast downward but slowly rose to meet hers. Yuna raised her hand toward his face. The action in itself was only to assure her that he was indeed real and wasn't going to fade again. She saw him smile.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere," Tidus spoke softly. He pulled her into another embrace.  
  
Yuna closed her eyes, wanting to savor the peaceful moment with him. She felt his hands resting at the small of her back. Her eyes suddenly snapped open. Her dream the night before returned to her, albeit a bit hazy.  
  
Although Yuna couldn't remember the dream in its entirety, she felt herself pulling away from him slightly to look into his face. Clear blue eyes stared back at her.  
  
"I've missed you," the voice echoed.  
  
"What is it?" he asked her softly. Raising his gloved hand to stroke the hair away from her eyes, she looked down.  
  
"No, it's nothing," Yuna replied. She cleared her mind of the strange feeling. She stood up and smiled down at him. Grabbing his hands she struggled to lift him up with her.  
  
He laughed. "Okay, okay, I'm up." Yuna smiled cheerfully.  
  
"Let's go back to the village. I'm sure Rikku and the others are up by now," Yuna told him. They began to walk up the beach hand in hand. Yuna swung their arms playfully.  
  
"You know, I'm pretty sure Wakka wouldn't be up by now. Knowing him, he's probably still as lazy as I remember. He's really gotten bigger these last two years!" Tidus added.  
  
Yuna laughed and kicked up some sand. "He definitely has! I'm surprised at how much his belly has grown!" she giggled. Looking up into the sky, the traces of red and orange had cleared to a deep blue. Birds flew overhead. "I'm happy for him and Lulu."  
  
"Yeah, Vidina looks just like him. It's kinda funny to see a little Wakka," he chuckled.  
  
As they neared the village, Yuna could see Rikku running up to them. She stopped in front of the two and smiled suspiciously.  
  
"And where have you two been?" she nudged Tidus in time with her words. Standing with her hands behind her back, Rikku winked at Yuna.  
  
"Um, we were just down at the shore," Yuna told her cousin slowly. She had always stuttered when she knew Rikku had caught her doing something.  
  
"Ohhh, the shore," Rikku said teasingly. She came near Yuna and whispered into her ear. "And what were you two doing down there, hmm?" she asked.  
  
Yuna leaned away from Rikku. "N-nothing! We were just talking!" she told her cousin. Yuna heard a chuckle from him.  
  
"Rikku, you haven't changed at all," Tidus told her jokingly.  
  
But before Rikku had the opportunity to retort, Yuna heard Wakka's voice from his hut.  
  
"Hey you kids! Watcha doin' up so early?" he shouted from their shelter. The trio watched as the older man jogged up to them.  
  
"Mornin' Wakka. How's it going?" Rikku asked cheerfully. "You still okay from that party last night?"  
  
Wakka scratched his head. "Ehh, y'know. I got responsibilities now that I'm a father, ya?" he replied. "Gotta get up early for Lu and Vidina," he continued.  
  
Yuna smiled. Wakka had sure changed. Everything he spoke about had something to do with his family. She admired the man actually. His whole life had been one full of changing lifestyles. From a blitzer to a guardian to a father. She was grateful for his help during the pilgrimage, and finally seeing him content with his life made her happy.  
  
Wakka turned to Yuna. "So what are the two of you up to?" he asked, his eyes looking between them.  
  
Rikku interrupted. "They were down at the beach early this morning," she said teasingly again.  
  
Yuna couldn't help but smile. Although she knew the younger girl was happy that the two of them were finally together again, she knew Rikku would still keep her teasing side - especially when it came to Yuna and her relationships.  
  
"How about you, Rikku? How's Gippal doing?" Yuna said. She couldn't help it. Yuna knew there was some history between the blonde and the leader of the Machine Faction.  
  
Rikku laughed nervously. "Ehehe. Yunie, I already told you! Nothing happened between Gippal and me!" she said defensively.  
  
"Gippal? You mean the leader of the Machine Faction? Rikku, you never told us!" Wakka said, crossing his arms in the process.  
  
All eyes were cast on Rikku as she fidgeted nervously. "Ehh, you know. Why don't I go wake Paine up! I'm sure she wants to go with us today to visit Gipp- I mean Baralai and the others!" Rikku stuttered. Before anyone could say anything more, Rikku sprinted in the direction of Paine's hut.  
  
"Aha! I knew it! Something did happen between those two," Yuna laughed in fondness. As she watched her cousin's retreating form, she felt a gentle tug at her hand and looked over at Tidus.  
  
"You've met a lot of people while I was gone. Even Rikku seems like she's finally interested in someone," he told Yuna with amusement. Yuna nodded and smiled. As the two walked toward their hut, he spoke again. "Paine, Nooj, Baralai, Gippal, Shinra, Lenne." Tidus trailed off and smiled. "I sure missed a lot, huh?" he chuckled and turned to look at her.  
  
Yuna didn't see his gaze. Yes, Lenne. Thoughts of the former summoner brought the unavoidable name of him with it. Shuyin. A name that Yuna found herself avoiding. She hadn't spoken about Shuyin to him yet. Nobody else in the village had mentioned Shuyin to him either. It was strange. The man who tried to destroy Spira had never been spoken of yet. Yuna frowned at another memory.  
  
When she had awoken during her visit to the Farplane, her heart had skipped a beat as Shuyin emerged from the fog. His voice was so soft then, speaking to her with a sense of longing. But Yuna knew it wasn't him. No, it could never have been him. When Shuyin hugged her afterward, all her fears and sadness seemed to have vanished during that moment. But regardless of how real the feeling seemed, Yuna knew it was Lenne's conscious that was inside her. Lenne's feelings and the dressphere had made Yuna feel that way toward Shuyin.  
  
"Yuna, is something wrong?" she heard Tidus voice suddenly speak up.  
  
She turned to him, suddenly feeling guilty that she was thinking of another man when she was with him. "No, don't worry about it," Yuna said. She smiled to reassure him.  
  
"Are you sure? You know you can tell me anything," he whispered softly. They sat together on the bed. "I'm here now. What's wrong? You acted the same way at the shore this morning," he told her while pulling them together into an embrace.  
  
Yuna remained still. 'I should tell him about Shuyin. I don't have feelings for him, so there was nothing to fear.'  
  
She pulled away slowly. "You're right," Yuna began. He looked at her. "There is more to the story than what I told you last night," she finished. Yuna studied his facial expression.  
  
"Alright, what else happened on your journey?" Tidus asked. His face was completely neutral and was filled with curiosity.  
  
She took a deep breath, anticipating what his reaction would be.  
  
End of Chapter 1  
  
A/N: A bit shorter than what I intended, but the next chapter will be longer. Until then.


	2. Pyreflies

A/N: Thanks to all who have reviewed so far. ^.^ It's nice to read what you've thought about the first chapter. I edited a few lines in Ch. 1 after catching a mistake that M.S. Fisher brought to my attention. (Thanks. ^^;) This chapter will start off rather slow but I hope to pick up the pace towards the end.  
  
Liu Kimone: Thank you for comment, and to answer your question, I do plan to have Tidus meet Baralai, Gippal, and Nooj. He meets the three later, but not in this chapter, like you'll soon find out. ^^  
  
** Chapter 2 **  
  
Yuna looked away for a moment and stood up. She walked towards the opening of the shelter with her back facing him. Clasping her hands in front of her, she looked down at the floor.  
  
"I told you about Lenne and her lover, but that's only half of the story," Yuna paused to see if he would respond. When Tidus said nothing, she continued. "His name was Shuyin, and along with what I told you yesterday about their story, I also got the chance to meet him personally," Yuna spoke softly, unsure of how he would respond.  
  
Tidus spoke up during this time. "Wait, what do you mean you met him? You mean when you and the others fought him at the end, right?" he asked her.  
  
Yuna turned and sat on the opposite side of the bed with her back facing him once again. "No, I met him once already at the Farplane - before our battle with him," she said softly, almost questioning herself as to why she felt so guilty telling him this.  
  
"The Farplane?" Tidus asked slowly as if trying to piece together what Yuna was telling him. "So you and this Shuyin guy already met once before?" he asked again, a vague presence of jealously making itself known through his voice. "And why were you at the Farplane?" he pressed on.  
  
Yuna nodded more to herself than to him. "It was after we fought Ixion at Djose. I fell through a hole that was in the temple. The Farplane...when I first saw him, I thought it was you," she whispered, finally turning to meet Tidus' gaze.  
  
He held their gaze in disbelief. "Me? But how?" he asked her incredulously.  
  
Standing up to move closer to him, she continued. "The two of you...you both looked so much alike. Your faces, the way you moved, everything," Yuna paused. She saw him looking away from her at the moment. "He called me Lenne," she finished.  
  
It was at this moment that he turned to face her. She suddenly saw his eyes fill with a silent understanding. "Oh I get it. It's like you said, right? Lenne's feelings were inside you because of that dress, and he thought you were Lenne," he spoke.  
  
Yuna held their gaze for a moment before nodding a bit with a smile. 'Yes, that explains it. It's because she could feel Lenne's feelings that her own was lost.' Yuna silently chastised herself with how this conversation was making her feel. It was obvious that she was unsure of what Shuyin's affect was on her. Lenne and Shuyin had faded away together and she was back to herself again with the man she loved. 'Then why do I still feel like something isn't quite right?'  
  
Sensing Tidus' eyes on her, she smiled at him. "But you know something, there's only one you," she whispered as she moved closer to him. She watched his eyes grow softer as he pulled her into a hug. Returning the embrace, Yuna closed her eyes.  
  
"I don't even know why I didn't mention him to you. I guess I was afraid," she said to him. Yuna felt him pull away and looked at her face.  
  
"Afraid of what?" he asked her.  
  
Yuna smiled at his innocence. Resting her head in the crook of his neck, she replied. "Because I was afraid you would be angry at me for thinking Shuyin was you," she said with some embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking then. I guess I was a bit shocked at how similar you two looked, that I instantly thought he was you," she admitted painfully. Yuna hated herself for feeling so content in Shuyin's arms when he hugged her that time at the Farplane. But...no. There was something in the way he held her that frightened a small part of herself. He had acted a bit forceful then, turning her around to pull her into an embrace even if she wanted to move away from him. But a darker, more frightening part of her insisted that it felt so right. No, it was all because of Lenne's dressphere that she was confusing her own feelings with that of the former summoner's.  
  
Yuna shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts and hugged him again, tighter this time. She heard Tidus laugh quietly because of her antics. "Shuyin and Lenne were destined to be together again. I'm happy that they finally found peace with each other after so many years of being apart. A thousand years..." she trailed off.  
  
"A thousand years," she heard Tidus repeat. "I could never stay away from you that long," he said. Yuna smiled. There really wasn't anyone else like him. His kind and gentle nature towards her, the way he could make her smile again with his cheerful and optimistic personality, and just everything about him. "I love you," she heard herself whisper.  
  
She felt him pull away and caught her eyes with his own. He smiled at her then, one full of affection and realization that he truly was here with her and that she had spoken those words out loud to him again. It reminded him of the time on the airship two years ago, when she had tried to run to him in an embrace, but she ran right through his fading form. It was a memory he didn't want to remember. He pulled her close. Back then he had barely heard her say it. Now her words cut through him like a piercing dagger. "Yuna, I love you too. I never got the chance to tell you back then."  
  
Yuna suddenly felt her breath catch, and she felt so warm inside. Her heart was pounding a million miles a minute. His words broke a dam within her, one that she forgot she had. It was the first time she had heard him say that he loved her, and she just wanted nothing more than to stay like this forever. "Not until the end.." she began.  
  
"..Always," she heard Tidus finish along with her voice. Smiling into his neck she closed her eyes. "You remembered."  
  
"Of course I remember. Two years ago at the spring. I said those exact words to you. Of course I'd never forget," he whispered while stroking her hair gently.  
  
"They're the words that I'll never forget," she said to him. He pulled her close once more.  
  
They remained that way for a while, not exchanging words but just enjoying each other's warmth and company. Yuna's eyes suddenly opened as she heard someone cough softly. Breaking away from him for a moment, she looked up to the entrance of the shelter.  
  
Paine was standing there with one hand resting on the curve of her hip. She raised an eyebrow at them. "Am I interrupting?" she asked with a small smile. Although seeming polite about it, Yuna could tell that Paine had no intention of leaving the couple.  
  
Yuna smiled to herself with a mixture of amusement and happiness. Paine had turned into a wonderful friend during their journey as the Gullwings. Yuna had never expected to grow so close to the dark-haired warrior, yet she found Paine to be as trustworthy as Lulu had once been during her pilgrimage two years ago. She was grateful for Paine's friendship and all she had done for her.  
  
"Rikku and I were planning to visit Baralai and the others," Paine spoke. She stood at the entrance. Although never actually asking her aloud, Yuna knew Paine wanted to know if she was coming along with them.  
  
Paine continued on. "After we said goodbye to them yesterday at the dock, that was it."  
  
Yuna studied Paine. "Rikku was disappointed that we missed the party in Luca, and she kept mentioning how she wanted to stay," Yuna replied.  
  
Paine smirked. "Yeah, and we also had that party here last night," she said with amusement.  
  
Yuna laughed. "That's right! She really loves a good party, doesn't she?" Yuna commented shaking her head a bit.  
  
Paine smiled. "So are you two coming with us?" she asked them.  
  
Yuna stopped to think for a moment. Although she wanted to meet with Baralai, Nooj, and Gippal again, she couldn't help herself in wanting to spend some time with him today. Their second day together, and Yuna didn't want to miss a single moment.  
  
She turned to Paine and smiled apologetically. "I hope you don't mind, Paine. We have some catching up to do here. Just tell them I said hello, ok?" Yuna asked her.  
  
Paine shook her head and sighed in understanding. "Alright, Yuna. I don't blame you," she laughed a bit. Turning to leave she added, "Behave you two."  
  
Yuna caught a smile on Paine's face as the other woman turned and left.  
  
"You know, we really should have gone with her and Rikku. I kinda wanted to meet those other guys too," Tidus said after Paine had left.  
  
She laughed. "You would really want to spend the day traveling when we could spend some time here together?" Yuna asked him playfully.  
  
He scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. "Well..no. Ah, you're right. I do want to stay here and take the day off too," he said in defeat.  
  
Yuna laughed. She barely noticed the mischievous gleam in his eye before he pounced on her and sent them both falling onto the bed behind them. He began to tickle her then, especially on her sides where he knew she was most sensitive to touch. Yuna laughed hard and tried to push him off. Since Tidus was on top and obviously much stronger than she was, it was a losing battle. He had her pinned down and showed no sign that he was going to stop.  
  
She squealed. "Ok! Ok! I surrender!" she shouted through her laughter. He was laughing then too, trying to tickle her and obviously finding satisfaction knowing she was helpless in his touch.  
  
After a few more moments of torture, she was relieved when his hands finally slowed down before stopping altogether. Yuna continued to giggle and held her sides as she watched his face in amusement. He was laughing with his eyes shut, while still holding her down underneath him. She hit him playfully on his arm.  
  
"You really love taking advantage of my weak spots," she said in mock anger. She giggled up at him.  
  
Tidus' face suddenly moved down close to hers, until Yuna could feel his warm breath on her cheeks. She grew silent as his eyes locked with her own. She could feel her heart pounding furiously again as he moved his face closer still.  
  
"You're so cute when you do that," he said softly.  
  
Yuna opened her mouth to reply at his sly comment, but was cut off when he suddenly closed the gap between them. His lips were soft against hers and he kissed her gently at first, as if a bit hesitant. She returned the kiss, bringing her hands up to run through his soft hair. Yuna felt him smile and he kissed her a bit more passionately this time, assured that she wasn't angry with him.  
  
A gentle swooshing sound made him stop and turn around to look at the entrance of the hut. Yuna looked around his form in the direction of the doorway.  
  
"What was that sound?" she asked him, grabbing his sleeve a bit in alarm. "It certainly didn't sound like the wind," she spoke quietly, a hint of worry in her eyes as she looked behind him.  
  
He turned to her. "I'm sure it was nothing."  
  
Yuna shifted her eyes from his to the doorway once again. It was at this moment that a faint shimmer caught her eye. Small, but all too familiar, she recognized it. 'A pyrefly?' she thought to herself.  
  
"Did you see that?" Yuna voiced to him aloud. Tidus turned around again toward the door. The wind rustled the flap gently, but no pyrefly was in sight.  
  
"See what?" he asked her while raising an eyebrow.  
  
Yuna blinked. "I guess it's nothing then.." she trailed off for a moment. 'Maybe I'm seeing things.'  
  
He shifted his eyes to her once more. "What did you see?" he asked curiously this time. Sitting up beside her, he pulled her into his arms.  
  
She let him pull her to him, still deep I thought. 'But what's a pyrefly doing here? I'm certain that I saw it.'  
  
"Nothing, don't worry. I probably saw a reflection from the sunlight or something..." she assured him. 'Why keep it from him? I should just tell Tidus what I saw. But then again, pyreflies don't just appear like that...'  
  
Before she could speak again, he suddenly jumped up, startling her. "How 'bout we go out and take a walk through Besaid! It's been so long since I fought a few fiends, and I think I'm getting a bit rusty. Come on, let's go," Tidus pleaded with her.  
  
Yuna couldn't resist. "Okay then, let's go," she told him as his face lit up. "Let me go grab my guns," she added.  
  
"Whoa, since when did you start using guns?" he asked her in disbelief as she stood up.  
  
She just sighed in understanding. "You know, you've missed a lot!" she said while sticking her tongue out at him playfully. He pouted.  
  
"Hey, I couldn't help it," Tidus replied, scratching his head a bit. Yuna just giggled.  
  
***  
  
"Wow this place hasn't changed at all," Yuna heard him say.  
  
They had made their way out of the village and up the slope towards the falls area, and surprisingly, no fiends had attacked yet. Yuna laughed inwardly at the thought. Perhaps the fiends wanted them to be happy just this once too. As they walked, she felt his hand move slowly into hers. She smiled at that action. Moving herself closer to his side, she held onto his arm as well.  
  
As they crossed the area with the cave, Yuna led him towards the overlook side of the beach. "Let's go over here. It's much more peaceful," she said.  
  
He smiled. "Oh, I remember this place. This is where Wakka pushed me off when I first came here," he told Yuna, who laughed at the comment.  
  
"Really? Just pushed you off?" Yuna laughed. He smiled at her.  
  
"Yeah," Tidus said. "Right off." She laughed again.  
  
This area was actually one of Yuna's favorite spots on Besaid. Not many people went there at all, despite its breathtaking scenery. During her earlier years as a child, she enjoyed going out there and just staring out into the clear blue water below. The warm breeze had a tendency to blow just right at that spot, and Yuna loved the place.  
  
Today, the water seemed bluer than she remembered, and the bright sun and warmth reminded her of the old days when she used to spend time alone there. Yuna found herself subconsciously sitting down with her legs dangling off the edge of the overlook. She heard him come up and sit next to her.  
  
"This place really hasn't changed," he said after some time, looking into the clear water down below them.  
  
"I love this place," she told him, taking a deep breath. He just smiled at her. A sudden idea came to him.  
  
"How about we have a picnic here? Just you and me," he said to her.  
  
Yuna smiled and turned to face him. "That would be great!" she said cheerfully.  
  
She watched him stand up. "Alright, do you mind staying here while I head back to the village and get us something to eat?" he asked her with a smile.  
  
Yuna grinned and nodded. "Okay, but are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" she asked him, standing up as well.  
  
He shook his head. "No, I'll take care of it. You stay here. I wanna surprise you with something too," he replied with a small smile.  
  
She nodded at him. "Ok, I'll be right here."  
  
Yuna watched as Tidus left the area and it was suddenly very quiet. She sighed to herself and made her way to the edge again. Staring out to the sea, she inhaled the fresh Besaid scent of the ocean. A rather nostalgic feeling of her childhood days, but the smell of the island always seemed to make her happy even during her darkest moments.  
  
She had been thinking a lot to herself ever since her last moments with him and Sir Auron two years ago. Up until then, Yuna had always wanted her pilgrimage to be full of laughter, and when they reached Zanarkand, the realization of her fate finally dawned on her. It was during those times that she truly took in everything around her, finally paying attention to simple things she had once taken for granted.  
  
Now it seemed like everything was at peace once again. The Calm returned to Spira and for once, people were not risking their lives only to be killed. She had helped restore peace to Spira for a second time, a strange realization that she was the one responsible that the world was saved again. Yuna smiled a bit to herself. She had always wanted to do what was best for everyone, and saving Spira had helped so many countless lives.  
  
Yuna swung her legs on the edge of the cliff, enjoying the warm breeze as it blew across her face, making her hair flutter about gently. She was suddenly startled when she felt a hand rest on her bare shoulder, the cool feeling of the glove sending a chill through her body. Ready to hit him playfully for startling her, Yuna turned around to face him.  
  
She gasped at the sight.  
  
***  
  
"Too bad Yunie couldn't make it," Rikku said aloud.  
  
The two were on their way to Bevelle to meet up with Baralai and Gippal. Apparently Nooj wasn't going to make it due to personal matters he claimed he had to attend to. Baralai had arranged to have lunch with the three girls since they had left the party at Luca the previous day.  
  
Paine walked over to her. "She wanted to spend time with Tidus, so I'm not really surprised," she said to the other girl.  
  
Before Rikku could reply, Brother interjected loudly. "Tysh res! Huf Yuna femm cbaht ymm ran desa fedr res," he finished rather sadly. He sighed. Hanging his head low, Brother walked out of the room.  
  
"Well I'm happy for them!" Rikku yelled at Brother's retreating form. She walked towards Paine and rolled her eyes.  
  
"I actually feel bad for him," Paine said.  
  
Rikku laughed. "Don't be. He'll move on eventually," she stated with a wave of her hand.  
  
"We're here," Buddy suddenly announced from the front.  
  
"Alright!" Rikku said, jumping up. "Come on, Paine. Let's go meet with them. I'm starved!" she said, grabbing one of Paine's arms.  
  
"Ok already. Let go," Paine told the girl. "You're cutting off my circulation."  
  
Rikku promptly let go and scratched the side of her face with one finger. "Ehe. Sorry 'bout that," she laughed.  
  
***  
  
Yuna took a step back, startled and wide-eyed. She felt herself gasp quietly. Putting a hand to her chest she shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"B-but how?" she heard herself ask.  
  
He stood there, facing her with a slight smirk on his face. The wind blew his hair gently, making his clothing rustle as well. The sunlight caught his eyes, making the blue hue look clearer than ever. He took a step toward her.  
  
"Because of you - because you asked me to come," he spoke with the same tone she remembered.  
  
Yuna shook her head. "Wh-what do you mean?" she demanded, a bit louder than before.  
  
He smiled at her once more, the wind making his hair flutter.  
  
"Yuna! I'm back!" she heard a voice yell from the entrance.  
  
Her eyes flickered up to the figure in front of her and she gasped at the realization. They were both going to see each other if he stayed. Yuna stared up at him in shock. He simply smirked and disappeared in a flurry of pyreflies.  
  
** End of Chapter 2 **  
  
A/N: Well? What do you all think? ^^  
  
Here's a translation of what Brother said on the Celsius earlier:  
  
"Tysh res! Huf Yuna femm cbaht ymm ran desa fedr res." = "Damn him! Now Yuna will spend all her time with him."  
  
About the next chapter, it will be a little longer to put up than I put this chapter up, due to upcoming events in school I have to do. So just wait for the next chapter then. Thanks for the reviews everyone. ^_^ 


	3. Secrets

A/N: Ok, I lied. ^^; I said it would take a while to get this chapter up, but here it is. I found that I was able to accomplish my tasks a bit earlier than usual, and had the extra time to get this chapter out. Chapter 4 will be the one that will take longer for me to finish. ^^;;  
  
** Chapter 3 **  
  
The brightness of the fading pyreflies reflected on Yuna's face as the swarm dissipated. Her green and blue eyes followed them up as they simply faded from the air, leaving no other trace. She felt her breath catch and looked up to the sound of footsteps.  
  
"Yuna! I'm back. Hey, sorry I took so long," Tidus came running up to her. She studied his face as he approached her. It didn't seem as if he saw anything. He had their food wrapped in one hand, and another wrapped package in another. He suddenly noticed her facial expression and stopped.  
  
"Hey, what's the matter?" Tidus asked, setting the packages down. "You ok?" he tilted his head a bit to look into her face, brushing back her bangs to see her eyes more clearly. His expression became serious. "Did something happen while I was gone?" he asked her again.  
  
She raised her eyes, meeting his serious blue ones. Shaking her head and trying to make herself smile for him, she grabbed his hand. "No, I'm fine," she assured. She watched his face for a reaction. 'This isn't the time to tell him. It's our second day together and I just want to enjoy it with no worries.' Taking his hand, she pulled him down with her to sit down in the soft grass. "I guess you just startled me, that's all," she smiled up at him.  
  
Tidus studied her some more, before seating himself down next to her as well. "Okay, as long as you seem fine," he said after some time.  
  
Yuna nodded. "I'm fine. Don't worry," she said again.  
  
"You must be hungry by now," Tidus suddenly said, changing the subject, all to Yuna's relief. She didn't want to see him suspicious of what she had just experienced while he had left her alone. Granted, it certainly was one hell of a secret to keep from him. Still..she just couldn't pretend as if nothing had happened. She almost didn't seem like it happened either. Out of her shock, Yuna felt the time stop around her as she turned to face the man they had fought at the Farplane. Seeing Shuyin standing before her and disappearing split seconds before Tidus came was enough to make her heart stop. 'Why was he here? Didn't they resolve the problem already?'  
  
She snapped back into reality.  
  
He had been speaking to her then, but she only managed to catch his last few words. "Oh yeah, I brought you something too," Yuna heard him say, reaching behind him to pull out the other package she had noticed him carrying earlier.  
  
Yuna smiled at the gift as he handed it to her. "What is it?" she asked him a bit shyly, forgetting her earlier encounter with Shuyin for the moment.  
  
He grinned and scratched the back of his head as she giggled at his behavior. "Open it," Tidus told her.  
  
Yuna studied the small package curiously before lifting the lid of the box carefully. She looked up at him and smiled. "You didn't have to get me anything."  
  
"I know. But I wanted to get it for you," he replied to her as he watched her face.  
  
As she lifted the lid, she squinted as a rather bright gleam peeked out at her when the sunlight hit the object inside. She gasped as she carefully lifted the object out, bringing it up closer to her eyes.  
  
"I-It's beautiful," she whispered, marveling at its splendor.  
  
Gleaming brightly in the sunlight, the gift was made from the same material Yuna recognized the sparkling paths at the Macalania Woods were made out of. It was delicately carved, shaped into a statue of two lovers embracing each other. Yuna gasped when she looked more closely. She recognized the two figures as herself and him, intricately carved and sparkling brightly. The two were portrayed together next to a lake, illuminated by moonlight.  
  
Tidus smiled at her as he watched the joy on her face. "You like it?" he asked.  
  
Yuna looked up at him, still captivated at how lovely the gift was. "I- I love it," she whispered, utterly speechless at its beauty. "But how? Where did you get something so beautiful?" she asked him, still studying the statue carefully, taking careful note of its color and shine.  
  
Tidus moved closer to her. "I actually had this made two years ago before we left the lake back then." He saw her look up at him. "I spoke to a wandering traveler that night and he suddenly asked if I wanted to have something made, since he had a piece of the Macalania crystal with him. At first I was surprised that a stranger would ask me that, but I told him that I wanted that made," he said, pointing at the statue Yuna was still holding delicately. She smiled at the story.  
  
"So why did you choose this particular carving?" she asked him, giggling when he grew quiet.  
  
His expression grew soft. "You remember that night, don't you?"  
  
Yuna looked at the statue once more. She smiled in remembrance. "Of course I do," she replied, still looking at the gift as it shone brightly. "It's so lovely. Why does it sparkle so much like this?" she asked him, almost squinting at the shining object.  
  
Pointing at the statue, he replied. "The traveler said that there's a spell on it."  
  
She looked up, curious. "Really? What is it?"  
  
Tidus looked at the statue, the sparkle reflecting in his clear blue eyes. "He said that whenever two people are carved from a Macalania crystal, it will always shine brightly when they are together. The closer the two people are to the statue, the more brightly it will shine," he told her.  
  
Yuna gasped at the story. "That's so beautiful," she whispered. He smiled at her and put an arm around her waist, drawing her close. He pointed at the carving of Yuna. "It's shining now because you're so close to it," he began. Pointing to the carving of him, he continued. "Since I'm near it too, the carving of me is also shining," Tidus explained softly.  
  
She turned around to face him and hugged him. "I love it. I'll treasure it always."  
  
"I'm glad you like it," he told her softly, breaking their contact for a moment and bringing their lips together.  
  
Yuna sighed against him and delighted in how soft his lips felt against hers.  
  
***  
  
"Man, I'm stuffed!" Rikku declared happily, standing up to stretch.  
  
Paine looked over at the girl and couldn't help but crack a smile. "Yeah, considering how much you ate," she shook her head.  
  
Rikku laughed sheepishly. "Heh.." she trailed off, not really knowing how to respond. She looked up to hear the two other men in the room chuckling from their seats.  
  
"Damn, I didn't know Cid's girl could eat like that," Rikku heard Gippal whistle from the other side of the table.  
  
"Hey! You be quiet, you!" Rikku retorted, ready to go over to his side of the table and yell at him some more. It seemed like Gippal just loved to tease her, and she hated it.  
  
Baralai laughed. "Well Rikku, if you want, we have plenty of food so please help yourself to more if you choose," he told her kindly.  
  
Rikku shot a glare at the silver-haired man. "What?! You too, Baralai? And I thought you were the nice one!" she said to him.  
  
Paine smiled at Baralai's shocked expression. "Wh-What? No, no. I wasn't teasing. Just trying to be polite," he replied, shaking his head at Rikku's reaction to him.  
  
Gippal laughed harder.  
  
After shooting Gippal another glare, Rikku sat down and spoke, a bit more quietly this time. "Thanks Baralai, maybe I'll get more food later," she said calmly.  
  
It was Paine's turn to laugh this time after Gippal fell out of his chair in a fit of hilarity.  
  
***  
  
The air was a bit cooler as he and Yuna walked back towards the village. It was almost sunset and Yuna forgot that Lulu was expecting them for the evening meal later that night. Yuna had shown him the secret cave on the island for most of the day. They had spent quite some time in the cave exploring while she told him stories of what had happened in there.  
  
"I think Rikku and Paine should be back to the village by now," Yuna said. They were walking hand in hand, crossing the slope back to the village. She suddenly looked up as she saw Rikku running towards them.  
  
"Yunie!" the girl exclaimed with a wave. Rikku smiled brightly. "So, did you two have fun today?" she asked as she looked between them, winking.  
  
Yuna smiled at her cousin. "Yes, we did," she laughed. "How was lunch with Baralai and Gippal?" she asked.  
  
"It was ok. The food was good too," Rikku answered, nodding her head to her words.  
  
"That's good to hear," Tidus spoke up.  
  
Rikku looked over at him. "What's good?" she asked.  
  
"Food. I'm starved," he answered, putting a gloved hand to his stomach.  
  
Yuna laughed, pulling him towards the village. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go eat!" she said, with Rikku nodding her head in agreement.  
  
As Yuna led the way, she paused. "Hey, where did Paine go?" she asked Rikku.  
  
"Oh, she's already in the hut, sleeping for the night," Rikku told Yuna.  
  
"Really? This early? I never expected Paine to even sleep," Yuna laughed softly. It was true. Since their journey together, Yuna barely saw the dark-haired warrior sleep.  
  
"Yeah, she's going to help me tomorrow with the airship and she said she needed to rest up for it," Rikku explained as she walked with her hands clasped behind her back.  
  
The village was quiet when they entered. Yuna noticed that everyone had already settled into their respective homes for the night to have dinner. The air was still rather warm, but much cooler than the afternoon had been. The trio walked over to Wakka and Lulu's home. Gently pulling back the covering, Yuna poked her head in.  
  
"Hi, everyone," she greeted the couple warmly.  
  
Wakka looked up at the three and grinned. "Oh, hey." He moved a few objects out of the way and motioned them in. "Come and sit with us, ya?" he told them.  
  
"Sorry we're late, Lulu," Yuna apologized to the older woman, who was tending to the baby.  
  
"That's quite alright," Lulu replied with understanding. She gently set little Vidina down and put more food for them. "I hope you're hungry," she said with a smile.  
  
"Yeah! We're starved!" Rikku said with enthusiasm.  
  
Yuna smiled at her cousin's antics. As she watched Rikku begin eating, Yuna couldn't help but notice how quiet the younger girl suddenly got as she ate her food. Yuna laughed inwardly to herself.  
  
But as Yuna chewed her own food, she suddenly found herself thinking once more. She no longer heard what the others in the room were talking about, but was more focused on what had happened earlier that afternoon at the cliffside. Her face suddenly grew serious as she recalled the events of what had happened earlier that day. 'What did Shuyin mean when he said that I asked him to come? And more importantly, why was he here? So did that mean Lenne was here too?'  
  
Yuna blinked and tried to focus on the conversation the others were having around the table. As her eyes scanned their faces to make sure they didn't catch the removed expression on her face, she suddenly met blue eyes staring at her seriously. Yuna quickly averted her eyes from Tidus' gaze and looked down at her food feeling a bit guilty.  
  
"Well Lulu, Wakka, the food was great," Yuna heard him say. She looked up at him. "It's getting late and we don't want to keep you guys up, so we're gonna be heading back now," Tidus said standing up from the table.  
  
Wakka nudged him. "You sure, man?"  
  
He laughed. "Yeah, thanks." Yuna watched as he walked over to her. "We should get going now," he said to her. Yuna nodded.  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Me too. I gotta get up early tomorrow to help Pops with the Celsius, so I'll be leaving too," Rikku spoke up as well. She stood up and walked over to Lulu and gave the older woman a hug. "Thanks, Lulu."  
  
Lulu looked a bit surprised at Rikku's action. "You're very welcome," she said quietly, rocking Vidina to sleep.  
  
Rikku smiled down at the baby and turned to leave. "Goodnight everyone. See ya tomorrow," she waved.  
  
"Ya, 'night Rikku," Wakka replied waving.  
  
Yuna and Tidus turned to leave as well. "Thanks again you two. Goodnight," she told Wakka and Lulu. With that, they turned and headed towards their hut.  
  
Outside, the stars twinkled overhead, while the moon illuminated the village. The short walk to their shelter was filled with silence, and Yuna was beginning to feel guilty at his sudden silence. To her relief however, he still held her hand in his as they neared the hut.  
  
He held the flap open for her as she stepped in. Trying to break the uneasy silence that had suddenly developed, she spoke.  
  
"That was a nice dinner," she said, watching as Tidus sat down on the edge of the bed.  
  
After a few moments of getting no response from him, she sat down on the bed as well. It was then that he responded.  
  
"Yuna, I know when something's bothering you," he began finally turning to face her.  
  
She didn't meet his gaze then. "What do you mean? Nothing's wrong," she answered a bit hesitantly. She never was a good liar.  
  
Tidus sighed. "Yuna, come on. You've been like this since I came back at our picnic. What's the matter?" he asked her, moving closer and taking her into an embrace.  
  
Yuna shut her eyes and relaxed her tense body against his. Tidus seemed to notice this and stroked her back gently. "I knew it. What happened back there?" he pressed on.  
  
She paused, mentally debating with herself on whether she wanted to tell him yet. 'If I tell him that Shuyin came back here, what will he think? What will he think when they meet face to face?' Yuna pulled away from him and looked into his azure eyes, now filled with a sadness she just couldn't place.  
  
"It really is nothing. I was just tired back there," Yuna told him with a heavy heart. Each time she lied to him, she just couldn't look him in the eye anymore. His expression was filled with an empty void of sadness and it pained her to see him like this. But she truly didn't want to worry him about this matter. Surely there was some way to settle the score with Shuyin one final time without him knowing, right?  
  
And really now. Did she really want Tidus to get involved with this? Shuyin's words suddenly hit her. 'I still don't understand what he meant.' Yuna felt as if she was being burdened with a secret that she just couldn't tell. 'Why am I hiding it?' Yuna's thoughts took a different turn. 'I wonder if anyone else knows that Shuyin has come back..'  
  
His voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts. "Alright, I believe you," Tidus told her suddenly. Looking at her face he smiled at her then. "I guess you do seem tired. Wanna rest now?" he asked.  
  
Yuna nodded and yawned at that moment. Unbuckling her item belt and removing her side skirt, she let herself fall with a thud on the soft bed. She heard him laugh at this. Looking up in his direction she raised an eyebrow but couldn't help smiling as well. "What's so funny?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing. It's just that I've never seen you fall down like that before," he laughed in amusement.  
  
She too couldn't help but laugh softly at that. Having little energy left to answer him back, she just closed her eyes, ready to fall asleep. Yuna heard his chains jangling before she felt the other side of the bed tilt down a bit as he lay down beside her. Yuna found it strange that they had come to a sort of silent understanding in sleeping next to each other. On the first night after the party, they both just fell asleep together on the bed, not really thinking much about it, but just feeling content to be near each other again.  
  
Yuna knew that Lulu would have thought it a bit inappropriate to find out that she was sharing a bed with him. Although Yuna knew the customs and was a bit hesitant with it at first also, she knew that she was actually safer with Tidus beside her and she trust him fully regardless. Lulu realized this too, and Yuna was relieved that the older woman had approved in the end. 'Also, I don't feel safe being alone after what happened today..'  
  
Moving herself closer to him with her eyes still closed, she found him and loosely draped her arm around his waist. She suddenly felt something soft and warm lightly grazing her arm. Cracking one green eye open, she looked to see what it was. Yuna was surprised to see that he had taken off his gloves and had touched her with his bare fingertips.  
  
"You took your gloves off," she softly said with slight amusement, closing her eyes again as sleep got the best of her. She felt one of his hands find its way to her own. Soft and warm, it made her feel safe and protected again.  
  
"Of course. I don't wear them all the time you know," Tidus softly laughed, pulling her close to him.  
  
"Okay.." she trailed off, not thinking clearly anymore.  
  
He pulled a blanket over them and held her close, one of his arms wrapped around her smaller form. Securing the blanket over them, she felt completely warm and just didn't want to get up anymore. Feeling him kiss her lightly on the forehead, she finally fell into a peaceful sleep.  
  
On the small table next to the bed, the statue glowed, both the figure of the man and woman filled with light.  
  
***  
  
A warm breath touched her cheek, making her shiver at the sensation. She looked up but could only see his eyes. A deep azure, clear, but filled with an empty sadness. She saw his mouth move, yet didn't hear anything. A strong wind suddenly blew her hair wildly, her bangs blocking her vision for a moment. Raising her hand to brush the hair away from her eyes, she saw that they were surrounded by tall trees, the area lit only by thin rays of sunlight peeking in from the treetops.  
  
She looked slowly about the area and surveyed the enclosed clearing they were standing in, yet never raising her eyes to meet his. The forest was deathly quiet; the only sound she could hear was the soft rustling of leaves all around them. Hearing him take a step towards her, she looked up and finally saw his face clearly.  
  
'Shu..yin..?'  
  
Shaking her head at him in disbelief and slight fear, she took a step backwards, finding herself backing into the soft trunk of a nearby tree. She saw his face turn soft. Her eyes widened slightly as he continued to walk towards her, eyes never leaving hers.  
  
"Don't be afraid," she heard his voice say softly.  
  
She watched as he stopped in front of her. Tilting his head low, he spoke close to her, once again sending a shiver through her body. His lips lightly grazed the side of her cheek as he whispered to her again.  
  
"It's because you wanted me, isn't it?" he said quietly, putting one hand up to rest against the tree, blocking one side of her, his breath warm against her face.  
  
She stared at him, wide-eyed. "Wh-What..?" she heard herself say shakily.  
  
Watching as he simply smiled down at her, her eyes grew wider as his lips came crashing down on hers, arm pulling her tightly to him.  
  
***  
  
Yuna's eyes flew open, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. Wiping her brow from the perspiration that had formed, she took a deep breath.  
  
"Just a dream.." she whispered softly into the darkness. She suddenly felt an arm around her waist, tightening slightly. Turning her head to look at the sleeping form next to her, she saw Tidus still sound asleep, holding her close to him.  
  
She put an arm around him as well, snuggling warmly up to his chest and listening to his steady heartbeat. Feeling him stir slightly, he held her close.  
  
'There's something wrong here. That dream just didn't come for any reason. Shuyin is here, and I have to know why.'  
  
Lost in deep thought, Yuna let her eyes close again, the steady sound of his breathing lulling her to sleep.  
  
** End of Chapter 3 **  
  
A/N: Ok, I think I'll end it there. I'm still debating with myself on whether the next chapter will explain the whole situation and reveal a few things as well, or if I should wait until later to write about it. I want to make sure I cover each event that the characters will experience while Yuna and Tidus have their own story, so we'll see what happens. ^_~  
  
Until then! Thanks for all your wonderful reviews! 


	4. Hot Spring Encounter

A/N: Once again, a big thanks for all your wonderful reviews! I'm glad that people like the story so far. ^^ To answer any questions you may have, yes, there is a reason why Shuyin has returned, and I plan to explain the important reason for that in a later chapter entitled "Revelations." Until then, I have to build up to it first. ^^  
  
** Chapter 4 **  
  
Yuna awoke to the feeling of a warm hand gently stroking her hair. She cracked her eyes open and focused them to see his blue eyes gazing down at her. She smiled up at him, rubbing her eyes slightly.  
  
"Good morning," Tidus spoke softly.  
  
"Good morning," she replied with a small smile, feeling a bit shy that he had been watching her while she slept.  
  
"Sleep well?" he asked, while raising himself up on one arm to lean over her.  
  
She blinked, finally awakening fully. "Mm-hm."  
  
He simply smiled at her in response.  
  
Yuna turned on her side so that she could face him. She studied him fondly. Looking into his face, she noticed that he had been awake for some time now, his eyes clear and fully awake. She raised a hand and found his, still ungloved but warm like always.  
  
Tidus looked over at her and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "You were really tired last night," he simply said, and leaned back down to lie down beside her, hugging her close.  
  
She nodded. "I guess I was.." Yuna said, trailing off. She continued to stare at him some more, but he didn't seem to notice it. Her eyes trailed from his face down to his necklace, the familiar symbol glinting in the light. It was the same symbol that she also wore on her clothing. Yuna remembered the first day she decided to wear the logo of his Blitzball team, the Zanarkand Abes. Having the piece made at a local accessory shop shortly after he had left two years ago, she boldly sewed the symbol on the front side of her shirt, as a somewhat tribute in honor of him. Remembering what the symbol had meant to her, she gazed at him lovingly.  
  
He seemed to notice her eyes on him and looked over at her. "What?" he smiled in question.  
  
Yuna shook her head in response. "It's nothing, just using the time to stare at you," she replied, causing him to grin at her response. She saw his form move over her, his necklace jingling at the movement.  
  
"You know, it's rude to stare," Tidus whispered, moving down near her face, his warm breath grazing her cheek.  
  
She froze. Her dream came flooding back to her all too suddenly. 'It feels exactly the same...'  
  
Yuna blinked and turned her face away from Tidus, causing him to frown in confusion.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked her, trying to figure out what had caused her to turn away from him so suddenly.  
  
She turned to face him then. "Sorry, I-I just remembered something.." she began, but quickly stopped when she realized her mistake. 'No, don't tell him. There's no reason to make him worry.'  
  
Standing up and giving him a quick kiss on his cheek before pulling her boots on, she mumbled another apology. "It's really nothing," she told him, as she saw his eyes growing slightly suspicious. "I forgot to say goodbye to Rikku and Paine before they had to leave," Yuna said.  
  
With that, she walked out of the hut, leaving him alone in the room. Tidus fell back down on the bed, one arm covering his eyes deep in thought.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" he asked himself in frustration.  
  
****  
  
"Try it now, Pops!" Rikku yelled from the engine room.  
  
"Nukan!" Cid's voice said through the intercom.  
  
The engine roared to life, sounding more like it was originally. Rikku grinned brightly. "Another job well done," she congratulated herself proudly.  
  
Looking up, she heard Paine's boots against the flooring, coming down the stairs to meet her.  
  
"Looks like you fixed it," Paine said, stopping to note Rikku's soiled clothing.  
  
Rikku jumped up and dusted herself off. "Of course!" she said.  
  
"After Brother sped up the airship with us on top of it, I'm not surprised the engine broke," Paine said, remembering the events after the trio had left Baralai, Gippal, and Nooj at Luca. The girls had taken a joy ride on the Celsius' deck with Yuna commanding them to go faster.  
  
Rikku laughed. "But you gotta admit, it was kinda fun," she said.  
  
Paine shrugged. Before she could reply, the sound of someone running down the steps caused both her and Rikku to look up.  
  
"Yunie!" Rikku exclaimed, seeing her cousin appear. Rikku studied her face. "Hey, why are you up so early?" she asked, noting Yuna's still- rumpled clothing.  
  
"Actually, I wanted to say goodbye before you two left," Yuna answered. She paused, looking between Paine and Rikku for a moment.  
  
"Is that all you came here for?" Paine asked, sensing more to Yuna's presence.  
  
Yuna sighed in defeat. "Yeah, there is more," she admitted while beginning to walk towards the other two. Rikku looked at her curiously. "I um, was wondering if we could come with you on the airship. There's somewhere I want to go today," Yuna admitted, remembering that she had promised Kimahri that she would visit him again as soon as she got the chance. She also needed to speak with him.  
  
"Where to?" Paine asked.  
  
"To Mt. Gagazet," Yuna replied.  
  
"I'm going with you," a male voice said.  
  
Yuna turned to look behind her. She saw Tidus standing above the stairway, nodding to the other two girls in the room before coming down the remaining steps to meet her.  
  
"I was just about to come get you," Yuna told him, hoping he didn't feel as if she had abandoned him earlier that morning. He smiled weakly at her. Yuna groaned inwardly to herself. He must have thought she was angry with him. With the way she just left and the way she had acted when he tried to kiss her, what other explanation was there? Still, Yuna hoped he believed her excuse as she left the hut. It wasn't a total lie anyway, as she really did mean to see Kimahri. However she had other matters to attend to in Mt. Gagazet as well.  
  
"Alright, let's get going then!" Rikku suddenly exclaimed, putting an end to Yuna's thoughts.  
  
***  
  
The cold air hit Yuna's bare arms and legs as they landed at Gagazet's entrance. Her long side-skirt flapped from the chilling winds. The cold had hit her skin so quickly that it was almost painful. She shivered at the unexpected weather. 'Strange, it usually isn't this cold here.'  
  
Yuna had been able to stand the icy weather during the Gullwings' last visits to Mt. Gagazet, yet on those days the air wasn't as cold as it was now. She walked rather stiffly, trying to hug herself and rubbing her arms up and down.  
  
"Man, why's the weather so cold today?" Rikku whined, voicing Yuna's own thoughts.  
  
Paine murmured something quietly to herself, but Yuna didn't catch it.  
  
She suddenly felt a glove close around her arm gently from behind.  
  
Tidus spoke to her. "Hey, you're cold," he gently said to her, blue eyes full of concern. Before Yuna could reply to him, he had wrapped her in his arms from behind, with her in front of him. She instantly felt warmer, yet her legs were still left exposed to the elements.  
  
"Yuna," a gruff voice suddenly spoke. Yuna looked up to see Kimahri walking towards them, a hint of a smile on the Ronso's face.  
  
Yuna suddenly noticed Kimahri stop in his steps, his eyes trailing to the figure that had his arms around Yuna from behind. She smiled knowingly.  
  
"He's back," Yuna told Kimahri, smiling.  
  
Kimahri simply nodded and walked over to him. Yuna felt his arms loosen around her and she stepped away for a moment, as Kimahri stopped in front of Tidus.  
  
"Kimahri happy Yuna finally happy again," the Ronso simply said before turning to walk back.  
  
Yuna smiled at the confused expression evident in Tidus' blue eyes. "I guess he's happy," she told him with a smile.  
  
"Yunie, it's freezing!" Rikku suddenly interjected. "Why exactly did we come here again?" Rikku asked, clearly shivering due to the way she was dressed.  
  
"You should have dressed warmer," Paine said. Rikku continued to shiver.  
  
"I actually wanted to speak with Kimahri some more," Yuna said, noting the Ronso's fading form. "I guess he must be busy. There was something I needed to tell him," Yuna said.  
  
"What is it?" Paine asked, shifting a bit to her other leg.  
  
Yuna hesitated with what she intended to say. On one hand, she was not prepared to tell the others that she had come to Gagazet to speak with Kimahri on the recent occurrences about Shuyin's mysterious return. Yet another part of her wanted to just tell everyone so it wasn't a secret anymore. Perhaps they could have helped her if they knew what was going on as well. 'But -he- would find out, and I don't want him to worry about any of this.'  
  
She knew that Shuyin had returned for a reason, yet Yuna still didn't know why. Deciding on where she would take it from here, she turned to Paine.  
  
"There's a statue of myself that's being built on top of the summit, and I wanted to thank Kimahri and the other Ronso, even if it really wasn't necessary. It's so kind of them to do it in my honor, and I never thanked them properly," Yuna said.  
  
Paine made no reply. Yuna thought that Paine had sensed something from her, but she chose to wait for the warrior's reply. After another moment, she spoke.  
  
"Alright, if that's what you want," Paine said. "Do you want us to go with you?" she asked Yuna.  
  
Rikku suddenly sneezed.  
  
Yuna looked over at Rikku, noting the younger girl's pale skin. "Actually, that's alright. It seems like Rikku would be better if she stayed on the airship," Yuna replied, walking over to her cousin.  
  
Rikku tried to smile, yet her teeth just continued to chatter softly. "Th-thanks Yunie. B-but are you s-sure you d-don't need our help?" she asked, teeth still chattering from the cold.  
  
"It's ok, Rikku. Go inside and warm up. I'll be fine," Yuna assured the younger girl. She turned to Paine. "Could you go with her? She doesn't look so well," Yuna said with concern.  
  
"No problem," Paine answered. "We'll see you later then."  
  
Yuna watched as Paine led the freezing Rikku back towards the Celsius. "I hope Rikku will be ok. I feel bad for dragging her down here. It looks like she's caught a cold," Yuna said, turning to face Tidus. He stood beside her, with his arms crossed.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure she'll be fine," he assured her with a nod.  
  
Yuna looked on ahead of the snowy slopes leading to the summit. She smiled at him. "Are you sure you don't mind coming with me up there?" she asked.  
  
Tidus chuckled. "Of course not! I couldn't let you go alone now could I?" he replied with a grin.  
  
She smiled at him. "Thanks."  
  
He reached down to lock their fingers together. "Ok, let's go."  
  
***  
  
The walk to the summit was short. They had used the teleport platforms to reach the top in no time. After Yuna spoke to the sculptor at the top of the summit and the other Ronso at the top of the mountain had revealed the finished statue to her, Yuna was in awe.  
  
The statue was beautifully made, capturing every aspect of her perfectly. Although Yuna was grateful for having them make the statue of her, she still felt a bit humble about it. Still, it truly touched her. After thanking the Ronso graciously, she and him had started down the slopes again to find Kimahri.  
  
"Hey, is that the sound of water over there?" Tidus suddenly asked her, looking in the direction of the hot springs.  
  
"Yeah, there's a hot spring over there," Yuna told him.  
  
"A hot spring?" he asked in disbelief. "Wow, I would've never known," he chuckled a bit.  
  
Yuna smiled at him. "Do you want to go see it?" she asked. Yuna already knew what his answer would be.  
  
"Yeah! Let's go check it out," he declared, already grabbing her hand and leading them there.  
  
***  
  
As they approached the hot springs, Tidus let go of her hand and looked down at it. "I never would have thought Mt. Gagazet would have something like this," he said to himself.  
  
Yuna walked next to him. "I was surprised too when I found out about it," she told him.  
  
He turned to her, grinning slyly. "You want to join me?"  
  
Yuna hit him playfully on the shoulder. "I didn't even bring my suit with me," she told him. He just smiled at her.  
  
Before Yuna could catch the smile on his face, she squealed when she suddenly felt both his arms latch firmly around her and threw them both into the water. They both fell, making a big splash.  
  
Yuna swam up to the surface. He had thrown them into the deeper depths of the hot springs, so she couldn't exactly sit down. She saw him surface as well, his hair wet and dripping. Tidus grinned at her.  
  
"How did I know you were going to do that?" she asked him with amusement, playfully shoving him.  
  
"You didn't, or else you wouldn't have fallen in here with me," he replied smartly, causing Yuna to laugh at his silliness.  
  
"Well, I guess you got me then," she sighed and shut her eyes, feeling the warmth of the water surround her.  
  
Yuna's eyes flew open as a large splash of water suddenly hit her face and hair. She pouted at him and narrowed her eyes. "You want to play, do you?" she said to him. Tidus smiled innocently at her, blue eyes filled with mischief.  
  
Catching him off-guard, she splashed a fairly good amount of the water at him and laughed. He shook his hair out and before Yuna knew it, they had commenced into war.  
  
After some time, Yuna felt the water become shallow, as her feet could feel the ground. Their little fight had taken them towards the shallow end of the hot spring, and they hadn't even noticed. Laughing as she shook out her hair, she sighed and sat down on the now-shallow end they had migrated towards.  
  
She watched as he came to her, his face leaning close to hers. "I guess I won," he chuckled. Tiny droplets of water ran down his face, his blue eyes clear and mischievous.  
  
Yuna shook her head while laughing a bit. "No, you didn't," she said, sticking her tongue out to him.  
  
Tidus moved closer to her then, seating himself near her to place a kiss on her cheek. "That was fun," he smiled at her. Moving away, he sat back and sighed. "You know, I'm glad we have this place to ourselves."  
  
Yuna looked at him, his body looking completely relaxed in the water. "Yeah.." she began, but was cut off when a sudden chill ran through her body. 'It got so cold all of a sudden.'  
  
Tidus looked over at her. "Hey, are you ok? You wanna get out now?" he asked her, suddenly concerned. Moving over to her, he looked at Yuna's face. She nodded.  
  
"Sure, we should head back to see Kimahri now," she replied, wondering why she felt cold in the hot spring. 'Strange..'  
  
"Ok, wait here, I'll be back to get you something warm," Tidus suddenly said, standing up from the spring and walking back towards the entrance. His chains jangled as he stood up.  
  
Yuna raised her eyebrows at him in confusion, watching his retreating form. "I wonder what he's going to get," she asked herself aloud, her voice echoing throughout the area.  
  
Letting the warm water calm her nerves, she tried to forget the chilled feeling she experienced earlier. Yuna's face suddenly became serious when she remembered Shinra just then. She remembered the CommSphere that he had set up at the hot springs, and smiled a little to herself. Yuna recalled the embarrassment she felt while watching the people that had visited the hot spring then.  
  
Yuna sighed. Since their defeat of Vegnagun, Shinra had left mysteriously. When Yuna and the others returned to the Celsius, Buddy and Brother had told them that Shinra had gone away but didn't know any other details. Apparently Shinra's talk about the energy he had sensed coming from the Farplane was promising, and Shinra had set off to find a way to harness that energy that was "the lifeblood of the planet," as Yuna once remembered him saying before their final battle. Shinra was a mysterious young boy, yet Yuna knew he was far more intelligent than his years revealed.  
  
"Somehow I know I'll see him again someday," Yuna said aloud to herself, her voice echoing through the springs. Closing her eyes, she let the warmth envelope her once again, the earlier feeling of coldness disappearing. The air was deathly still, except for the sound of the water sloshing softly whenever Yuna moved her body.  
  
Her eyes flew open. She sensed someone watching her.  
  
"Who's there?" she said aloud, scanning the area quickly. There, she saw it. A figure stood on the ledge of the hot spring. Yuna recognized him immediately.  
  
"Shuyin," she gasped softly, eyes widening in alarm. She came back to her senses. "Shuyin!" Yuna called to him, louder this time. She saw him begin to walk away, and she scrambled up from the water. Climbing out of the hot spring, she gasped for breath. He was gone.  
  
Yuna stood at the spot he was standing on, and looked around frantically, feeling a bit vulnerable since she didn't bring her weapon or any dresspheres.  
  
She suddenly felt two arms come around her from behind, holding her around the waist and catching her off guard. Her breath caught. She suddenly turned to face the person.  
  
Piercing blue eyes met her green and blue ones, and she struggled to remain calm. "Sh-Shuyin.." Yuna managed to get out, finding herself trying to step out of his hold. He still grasped her around the waist, and he suddenly pulled her very close to him. She gasped.  
  
With their faces nearly centimeters apart, she didn't have any other choice but to look him in the face. His eyes held no other emotion except for that empty sadness she had seen in her dream of him. He smiled weakly at her.  
  
"You've given me another chance," he whispered to her, his breath hot against her face. His gaze was soft and his arms still locked around her waist, preventing her from pulling away from him right then.  
  
She struggled to keep her face as calm as possible, wondering what he was going to do to her. "Wh-What do you mean?" she asked him, watching his facial expression closely.  
  
His face grew softer, almost scaring her by that action. "You wished for my return, didn't you?" he said softly.  
  
Yuna stared up at him, wide-eyed. The world seemed to stop around her when she heard him say those words. "No, it can't be.." she whispered, realizing her fatal error. "I-I didn't mean to.." she said, trailing off to look away from his intense stare, memories of her mistake coming back to her.  
  
He continued to hold her to him, securing her position. He smiled. "But you did..and here I am," he spoke calmly.  
  
She shook her head, the realization dawning on her. "No.."  
  
Smiling sideways, he stared down at her, grip tightening a bit. "Yes. And only one of us can stay, Yuna."  
  
** End of Chapter 4 **  
  
A/N: I know, I know. Ending at a cliffhanger is frustrating for the reader isn't it? ^^ But don't worry, the "Revelations" Chapter is next, so everyone will finally understand what's going on. Until then, wait for the next update, and thanks again for the kind reviews. =) 


	5. Revelations

A/N: Alright here it is, the chapter that will clear up some mysteries in the plot, and one that I know most people have been waiting for. ^^ I've gotten more wonderful reviews from everyone, and thank you again.  
  
** Chapter 5 **  
  
"You want to see him?"  
  
Her heart skipped a beat, as she tried to confirm if her ears had heard correctly.  
  
"Him?" she heard herself ask, her mind still echoing with the words that she had just heard.  
  
"Yes. You want to walk together again?" the fayth asked.  
  
Yuna's mind reeled. The image of his clear blue eyes flashed before her. Golden locks fluttering gently in the breeze as his arms held her protectively in an embrace.  
  
Nodding her head in decision, her lips spoke out the final words. "Yes," she answered.  
  
***  
  
Her vision cleared as her eyes focused to meet the deep blue orbs of Shuyin. Putting a hand to her head, she struggled to remain standing. Luckily, she felt him holding her in place, arms still wrapped securely around her waist.  
  
"Now do you remember?" his voice spoke, as if she would understand everything it was he wanted her to know.  
  
Yuna did not reply. Using the little strength that was left in her, she pulled his arms off of her body and threw herself away from him, backing away slowly.  
  
"What was that?" she weakly replied, the remnants of the memory slowly clearing away from her mind. She saw him slowly smile. Collapsing on the ground, she gasped for breath as she tried to clear her clouded vision.  
  
He stared down at her, expression completely neutral. Yuna watched as his form loomed over her, and he slowly leaned down. Yuna's eyes widened as she saw his face nearing hers. He continued to lower his head, eyes never breaking away their stare. She felt her own eyes flutter close as the feeling of his warm lips met hers in one quick instant.  
  
Then, there was darkness.  
  
***  
  
She was falling. Darkness enveloped her from all around. She struggled to grasp hold of something, but she felt nothing but the emptiness of air. The silence that surrounded her echoed through her ears.  
  
But just as quickly as she began to fall, her feet suddenly felt the ground as she landed very softly on its surface. Turning her head in search of any sign of light, a faint shimmer could be seen in the distance. Running blindly towards the direction of that single ray of light, Yuna could see the form of a person begin to come to view. She slowed her pace and stopped.  
  
Her eyes narrowed knowingly as his face finally came into view. "Shuyin," she calmly stated, not a hint of fear left in voice.  
  
Stepping towards her, he beckoned for her to follow him, his expression still except for the hint of a smile on his face.  
  
Yuna stood her ground. "What do you want?" she began. Her eyes quickly scanned the area. It was pitch black, the only brightness that glowed radiated from his form. "Where are we?" Yuna's voice spoke again, bringing her hand to her chest.  
  
"A mere place where we can speak alone," Shuyin simply said. His eyes followed her as he watched her turn her back to him.  
  
After a moment of silence, he heard her speak once more.  
  
"Why did you bring me here?" she asked, a slight tremble in her voice.  
  
He began to step towards her then. Looking up, he sighed. "I brought you here so I could thank you without interruption."  
  
Yuna spun around to face him. "Thank me?" she asked in disbelief.  
  
His eyes were void of emotion. "Yes. If it weren't for you, Lenne and I wouldn't have another chance.." he trailed off. Yuna saw his features suddenly turn dark. "You thought I had given up, yet it's you who brought me back. Ironic, isn't it?"  
  
She stared at him, eyes wide in fear as his words felt like a slap in the face.  
  
He began to walk towards her. "Now do you remember?" he asked her, stopping right in front of her.  
  
Her breath caught again, as her eyes fell downward. She refused to answer him, knowing full well why he was there now. She heard him laugh quietly then.  
  
"Why do you look so shocked?" he pressed on. She suddenly felt herself pulled towards him, her back hitting the solid surface of his chest. His arms held her tightly from behind. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck, voice whispering into her ear.  
  
"Are you afraid he'll find out?" he asked softly.  
  
She froze.  
  
He pressed on, his breath breathing hotly against her face. "You are, aren't you? Afraid he'll find out about me?" he whispered, his teeth nipping her earlobe softly.  
  
She broke free of his grasp and spun around to face him, eyes blazing with fury. "Let me go."  
  
He simply smiled at her, showing his teeth as he shook his head in amusement. "Very well, but we'll meet again and you will cooperate when we do," he spoke, a sudden breeze making his hair flutter gently. He smirked at her and raised a glove hand to her face. She froze.  
  
"Next time I won't be so generous," Shuyin said darkly. "And you'll soon find out the truth."  
  
She felt her breath catch at his words. He smirked.  
  
"Wake up."  
  
***  
  
Soft. It was so soft. It felt as if she was floating on a cloud. Was she floating? No..  
  
She could hear something faint. A voice? It was silent again. Wait, but there it was again. A few seconds passed before she heard it again, louder this time.  
  
"Yuna!"  
  
"Yuna!"  
  
***  
  
Her eyes snapped open. Struggling to focus her clouded vision, she slowly saw two deep eyes of azure staring down at her. Tidus was gazing down at her in concern. Slowly standing up, she fell back down when a sudden surge of dizziness washed over her. She felt a hand gently catch her head.  
  
"What happened to her?!" a female voice asked in alarm.  
  
Yuna heard the voice of another female speak.  
  
"I don't know. He just brought her in like this," the woman spoke.  
  
Feeling her mind finally steadying itself, she focused her eyes to the people gathered around her, and clearly saw them now. Tidus, Rikku, and Paine were around the bed, watching her in worry.  
  
She whispered quietly, evidently still weak. "Rikku..Paine," she called to them. Turning to face him as well, she spoke. "Tidus..."  
  
Their eyes instantly flew to her.  
  
"Yuna!" Rikku exclaimed and grasped her hand. The younger girl searched Yuna's face with alarm. "Are you alright? What happened to you?" the girl demanded. The young Al Bhed suddenly burst into tears.  
  
Yuna smiled weakly at her cousin, struggling to calm her. "I-I'm okay Rikku. Don't cry," she whispered softly.  
  
"Yuna.." she heard Tidus suddenly speak. Turning her head to face him, she gently sent him a smile. "Hi there," she whispered to him, yet still weak.  
  
She watched as his eyes softened. Bringing her into a light hug, his voice shook. "I-I thought you were gone for good," he choked.  
  
Yuna reached out to grasp his hand, trying to calm him. "Sshh. It's okay. I'm here now, and I'm fine," she assured him.  
  
Paine bent down and looked at her closely. "Yuna, are you sure you're alright?" she asked, still studying her carefully. "You're not hurt, are you?" she said, concern evident in her normally even voice.  
  
Yuna nodded, feeling a bit of her strength returning slowly. "I'm fine, don't worry," she tried to assure them. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. 'It's because of me that they're so worried. I should have been more careful.'  
  
Struggling to stand up, they gasped in alarm.  
  
"Yunie! Are you sure you can stand?" Rikku exclaimed, supporting her cousin's back with one arm as Yuna slowly sat up in the bed.  
  
She nodded, smiling gently. "I can stand."  
  
As they helped her up, Yuna's mind cleared and she was no longer dizzy. Her vision was clear again and she now looked upon their faces. Hearing a soft sob coming from the other side of her, she turned her head to see who it was.  
  
"She's fine now. Look, she's sitting up," Buddy's voice said.  
  
"Ed'c ymm so vyimd! E cruimt ryja paah suhedunehk ran yht drec fuimth'd ryja rybbahat!" Brother's voice wailed.  
  
Yuna heard Buddy sigh. Smiling a bit to herself, she slowly stood up. Nodding to the three that she could walk on her own, she slowly made her way to Brother, who had his back turned to her.  
  
As she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, he spun around and saw her. His sobbing stopped as he spoke shakily. "You're alright?" he sobbed with a heavy accent. She nodded in response, a smile forming on her face as she tried to reassure him.  
  
"Oh, Yuna! I'm so happy you're alright!" Brother exclaimed, instantly taking up Yuna into a tight hug.  
  
Caught off guard, she could only smile at his happiness. "I'm sorry I worried you, Brother," she told him.  
  
His hold loosened on her and he stood up, taking her along with him. She watched as he glared at Tidus, who stood on the other side watching them. Brother pointed a finger at him accusingly.  
  
"Ev E veht uid drec fyc ouin vyimd, E'mm gemm oui," he spoke.  
  
Rikku gasped. "Drec fych'd rec vyimd, oui eteud!" she yelled after Brother as he ran out of the room. She turned to the other confused man.  
  
"I'm sorry about him," Rikku said, pointing in the direction Brother had ran off to.  
  
"Nah, don't worry about it," Tidus told her, his golden hair fluttering as he nodded. "I can understand how he must feel," he spoke with a sigh.  
  
Yuna turned to face them. "Sorry everyone," she said while looking down. "I was careless."  
  
Paine looked towards her. "Yuna, what exactly happened to you?" the warrior asked.  
  
Yuna looked up and hesitated. She really couldn't tell them now. It would put them all in danger, and she hated herself even more because it was her fault. "I guess I must have slipped and hit my head while climbing out of the hot spring," she lied.  
  
"The hot spring? What were you doing there?" Rikku inquired, a finger scratching the side of her face in deep thought.  
  
Yuna met his Tidus' blue eyes and she saw him smile at her weakly. He spoke.  
  
"Uh, Yuna was showing me the hot spring and we decided to jump in," he said nervously, scratching the back of his head with a small chuckle.  
  
Rikku narrowed her eyes mischievously. "Ah, I see.." the younger girl's voice trailed off, looking back and forth between Yuna and Tidus.  
  
Yuna sighed, her features suddenly turning serious. As she heard Rikku and him begin to argue about how he should have been watching her, her thoughts began to drift elsewhere. One way or another, she had to figure out a way to get to the Farplane at Guadosalam. If she was correct, then the one person that could answer her questions would be there.  
  
Paine's voice suddenly cut through her reverie. "Yuna," she spoke gently.  
  
Yuna's eyes met Paine's deep ruby orbs.  
  
"Are you sure you're fine?" Paine asked again, obviously concerned.  
  
"Yes, I'm feeling better now," Yuna answered with a short nod. Although she had answered the other woman, her mind had clearly been in another place.  
  
Paine had seen right through all of this.  
  
***  
  
"Yuna.."  
  
Her eyes flew open. Scanning the darkness of the room, there was no one in sight. She turned her head to the right and saw Tidus' sleeping form beside her, his arm holding her loosely to his side. He was sound asleep. Frowning in the darkness, she simply stayed awake; the sound that awoke her remained on her mind.  
  
She had definitely heard something. Turning herself so she was closer to him, she snuggled up to his chest and tried to shake away her uneasy feelings. She could feel him breathing evenly next to her.  
  
She let her eyes drift shut again. Yuna had spent the remainder of the day trying to help the others track down Brother, who had left the airship in a fit of despair. She was still puzzled as to why he was still in sorrow, but she soon realized his emotions had been one of jealously rather than anger.  
  
Yuna sighed inwardly to herself. Since that moment when she had overheard the conversation between Brother and Barkeep regarding his feelings for Yuna, she had never lived with herself knowing she could not return Brother's feelings. She guessed it was just like Rikku had told her once. Yuna couldn't make everyone happy, but she still wished that Brother would just accept her relationship since she was finally happy again.  
  
They had found Brother sitting alone on the last room in the temple at Besaid. It wasn't a long walk, yet Yuna and the others would have never thought of searching for him there. After finding him, he sulked back into the airship and locked himself in the cabin.  
  
She suddenly felt the warm hold on her loosen a bit, until his arms had let go of her completely. Strange, it was not like Tidus to let go of her while they slept. He always held her close to him every night. Now however, Yuna felt a bit empty with his familiar warmth gone.  
  
But at that moment she paused. Perhaps this what she needed for just this one night.  
  
Quietly and carefully slipping out of the covers, she moved towards the edge of the bed, trying not to move so he wouldn't awaken. She heard him stir. Stopping her movements, she waited for him to be silent again. A few moments passed before she heard his even breathing once again.  
  
She took a deep breath, unaware that she had been holding it. As soon as her feet touched the floor, Yuna pulled on her boots and secured her weapon on her waist. Turning to look at his sleeping form again, she saw that he was still asleep. The glow of the statue he had given her caught her eyes as she walked out. The figure of Tidus shone brightly, yet she could see that the small figure of her was not glowing as brightly as his was. She frowned a bit before quietly exiting the hut, running lightly towards the Celsius.  
  
***  
  
A light sound shook Buddy out of his sleep. He sat up from his bed and listened again. No sooner had he stepped out of his bed, the door to his room opened and Yuna had entered.  
  
Struggling to focus his eyes in the dim light, he confirmed that it was indeed she and not just his imagination. He rubbed his eyes and blinked at her.  
  
"Yuna?" Buddy asked. He checked the time. It was nearly midnight.  
  
She went over to him and whispered. "Buddy, I have a favor to ask," she told him, seating herself next to the Al Bhed on the bed.  
  
He yawned and scratched the back of his head. "Huh? This late?" he asked in disbelief. "Are you sure you should even be awake? You're-" he began but was cut off by her voice.  
  
"Buddy, please. It's very important. And yes, I feel like myself again," Yuna assured him, pulling the Al Bhed to his feet.  
  
"Ok, but where do you need to go this late?" he asked her.  
  
Yuna paused. She stopped walking, causing him to falter in his steps as well to look back at her.  
  
"Buddy, I need you to keep this a secret from them," she began. He raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"All right, if that's what you want," he replied slowly. She continued.  
  
"You see, I need you to take me to the Farplane at Guadosalam," she declared, eyes now visible in the little light coming from the moon. They had reached the bridge.  
  
"Yuna, I just want to know one thing," Buddy said.  
  
She nodded. "Sure."  
  
He took a deep breath and raised a hand to his chin in deep thought. After a moment of silence he finally spoke. "Whatever it is you're going to do up there, promise me you'll take care of yourself, alright?" he asked.  
  
Yuna smiled. "I will, Buddy. Thanks."  
  
***  
  
"Yuna, I'll be waiting at the deck."  
  
She nodded to him. "I'll be back soon, Buddy. I just need to confirm something," she told him as she turned to look at the entrance to the Farplane.  
  
He looked at her seriously. "Be careful."  
  
She smiled at him and began the walk up to the path.  
  
As she neared the Farplane, she noticed that her feelings were starting to get heavier, as if a flood of emotions were washing over her. She shook her head of the sensations and stepped up into the area.  
  
Looking around for a moment, she made her way to the other side of the floating isle. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment, she nodded her head that this was what she wanted to do.  
  
"Maechen, I need your help. Please, if you can hear me, I want to speak with you about something very important," Yuna spoke aloud, watching for any sign of pyreflies.  
  
Silence.  
  
She sighed. What made her think that Maechen could return? He had faded away right? But wait. He had not been sent properly so there was a chance that--  
  
A swooshing sound made her turn around. Her face lit up with joy as the form of the old man appeared before her.  
  
The pyreflies gave way to the form of none other than Maechen himself. He smiled at her and then bowed lightly.  
  
When he straightened up again, she heard him finally speak.  
  
"The Lady Yuna," his familiar voice said, a hint of joy evident.  
  
Yuna smiled at the old man and bowed to him as well. "Maechen, I'm glad you were able to hear me."  
  
He walked toward her, hands clasped behind his back. "Not many of us can just appear like this again," he began. "Yet..there are exceptions. Especially to those who have been unsent for a long time," he said quietly.  
  
His words echoed through her mind.  
  
"Like Shuyin.." she heard herself whisper. She gasped. Looking at the old man, she hoped he had not heard her.  
  
Yet he had.  
  
Studying her face carefully, he nodded knowingly. "Lady Yuna, something tells me that all is not exactly at peace, now is it?" he asked her.  
  
She lowered her eyes to the ground but nodded in agreement.  
"Ah, so I was correct."  
  
Yuna heard the old man clear his throat before he spoke again.  
  
"Well then. What is the problem?" he asked her.  
  
She looked up into the old man's face.  
  
"I need you to tell me everything about Shuyin."  
  
The old man raised his eyebrows slightly. "Shuyin? And who may that be?" he asked, not recognizing the name.  
  
"I know you told us the story about Lenne and her lover already, yet there must be more to it, right?" Yuna asked him with hope.  
  
Maechen brought a hand up to his chin. "Shuyin.." he repeated the name to himself as if trying to recall the past once again. "Ahh. I remember it now," he said quietly after some time had passed.  
  
Yuna's eyes widened. "Really?"  
  
"This I do."  
  
"What is it?" Yuna asked, her breath shaking a bit.  
  
Maechen paused. "If I may, could I ask why you wish to know of the young man?"  
  
"He's come back," she heard herself say. The old man turned to her.  
  
She continued. "We had reunited him and Lenne again, and I thought they had faded together in peace but.." her voice trailed off. She couldn't continue.  
  
"Come back?" the old man asked in disbelief. He walked slowly around the isle. "But that's impossible...unless someone willed him to return..." he didn't continue. A moment of silence passed as Yuna watched him. Finally turning to face her, he pressed on.  
  
"I'm here because I've been wandering for a thousand years, and I also never received a proper sending. Yet I've returned to this time and place now because you willed it to happen."  
  
The old man walked towards her, already knowing her answer. "Lady Yuna, perhaps Shuyin has returned because someone had willed it?" he proposed wisely.  
  
His words, although softly spoken, was the harsh realization she had tried to avoid. Turning to him, her voice shook.  
  
"But Maechen, I didn't. I didn't ask for him!" she exclaimed, tears threatening to fall. She fought them back. "He spoke to me today in a dream and said I had given him and Lenne another chance," she continued. "What did he mean?"  
  
He paused and looked at her before nodding his head. Another moment of silence passed between them. "Lady Yuna, I'm glad you called me."  
  
She looked up at him curiously.  
  
"Because if I'm understanding you correctly, then I may know of a way to help."  
  
** End of Chapter 5 **  
  
A/N: First, a few translations:  
  
"Ed'c ymm so vyimd! E cruimt ryja paah suhedunehk ran yht drec fuimth'd ryja rybbahat!" Brother's voice wailed. ("It's all my fault! I should have been monitoring her and this wouldn't have happened!")  
  
"Ev E veht uid drec fyc ouin vyimd, E'mm gemm oui," he spoke. ("If I find out this was your fault, I'll kill you."  
  
Rikku gasped. "Drec fych'd rec vyimd, oui eteud!" (Rikku gasped. "This wasn't his fault, you idiot!")  
  
Ok, so that ends this chapter. The next one will sum up a bit more of the revelations, more than this one did. I promise to update very soon, since this was ended at a cliffhanger. ^^; 


	6. Maechen

A/N: Well first and foremost, I want to say how busy my schedule has been as of late. Since finals are coming up and everything, some reports and last minute readings have been due. Anyway, I'm actually excited to write this chapter, since some events occur in it that I know most people have been anticipating from me. ^^  
  
Ok, well I know everyone just wants to continue on reading, so enough with my talk and let's just get this thing going. =p  
  
** Chapter 6 **  
  
A pair of blue orbs cracked open in the dim light that just barely peeked in from the flap of the shelter. Chains jangling softly and eyes still closed, he lifted an arm to his right, hoping to find her warm body and hold her close to him as he had always done. Grasping nothing but the soft blanket and an empty space, Tidus opened his eyes, wondering where she had gone.  
  
Frowning at the empty space next to him, he finally sat up in the bed. A shining light caught his eye and he turned his head to look at the small table next to the bed. The only light illuminating from the statue was the figure of him, shining brightly in the dark room.  
  
The glow reflected in his brilliant azure eyes. "Where is she?" Tidus whispered in the darkness, trying to think of where she could have gone this late.  
  
Pulling back the covers and finally standing from the bed, he struggled to find his boots. Luckily, the glow from the statue provided enough light for the room, and he found them precariously positioned in front of the door. Quickly tying his shoes on, he began the walk to Rikku and Paine's shelter. Perhaps she was there.  
  
***  
  
A light sound shook the Al Bhed from her foggy dream. Turning her body in an attempt to get more comfortable, she let out a shriek as she met a pair of glowing blue eyes.  
  
Her scream startled him. "Sshh, Rikku. It's just me," Tidus spoke to her nervously, trying to calm the girl. He had just entered the room and was about to shake the Al Bhed to gently wake her, yet she had beaten him to it.  
  
She sat up and hit him none too gently on the arm, causing him to wince a bit at the sudden strength it seemed she had gained over the last two years.  
  
"Don't ever do that again!" Rikku hissed at him. She took a deep breath and glared at him. "Geez, you scared me!"  
  
"Heh, sorry about that," Tidus laughed nervously.  
  
Rikku turned to him. "What are you doing here, anyway?"  
  
He paused. "Actually I wanted to know if Yuna was here.." Tidus trailed off.  
  
Rikku looked at him, eyebrow raised. "Oh? Well isn't she supposed to be with you?" she asked.  
  
"No, she wasn't there with me. I thought maybe she came here with you and Paine, but I guess not," he replied, eyes scanning the room.  
  
"No, Yunie isn't here," Rikku said. She pulled the blankets off and yawned. As her eyes drifted around the room, they settled on Paine's bed. She frowned with confusion.  
  
Tidus looked over at her. "What? What happened?" he said, noticing the girl's sudden silence.  
  
"Weird. Where did Paine go?" she wondered, gesturing towards the warrior's bed. She frowned and scratched the side of her face with one finger, a habit had never rid herself of.  
  
He looked at the bed as well. The sheets were empty.  
  
***  
  
Yuna watched the old man with a mixture of hope and fear. "How?" she asked.  
  
Maechen continued to circle her, his eyes cast downward in deep thought. "Lady Yuna, may I ask you a question?" she heard him speak.  
  
She paused for a moment before nodding. "Yes, what is it?" she replied quietly.  
  
The old man stopped in his steps, back facing her. "The young man that was with you two years ago. This may surprise you, but he did return again, didn't he?" Maechen spoke as he turned to face her.  
  
Yuna nodded her head. "Yes, he came back," she said. Wondering how Maechen had known that, Yuna decided not to question him about it.  
  
"Ah, so I was correct," Maechen said thoughtfully, beginning to pace around the isle once more.  
  
Yuna chose to remain silent and awaited the old man's response.  
  
After another moment he began to speak again. "Lady Yuna, I have a feeling you were responsible for his return, yes?" he asked gently.  
  
She nodded. "After we defeated Vegnagun and helped Shuyin and Lenne, the fayth appeared and asked if I wanted to see him," Yuna explained, remembering her disbelief upon hearing the fayth's offer. "I said yes." She watched the old man's expression. He was deep in thought.  
  
Maechen mumbled softly, yet she didn't catch what he had said.  
  
"Lady Yuna, this is very important," he began. She looked at him curiously. "When the fayth asked you if you wanted to see him again, did you truly mean it in your heart?" the old man asked hesitantly.  
  
His words startled her. "Wh-what do you mean?" she asked in shock. "Of course I wanted to see him again!" she exclaimed more loudly this time. Catching herself at her sudden rudeness, she remained silent.  
  
Maechen turned his back to her. "This may be the only explanation I can give you, but perhaps Shuyin's sudden reappearance is linked to the other young man's return," he said, causing her to gasp softly in surprise.  
  
Yuna sat down where she was, caught off guard with what Maechen had told her. She hadn't wanted to admit it earlier, but Maechen's words suddenly seemed clearer somehow.  
  
"Yes, Lady Yuna. You understand now, don't you?" the old man's voice suddenly said.  
  
She looked up at him and met his eyes.  
  
He walked over to her. "Perhaps your feelings were confused during that time, and you mistakenly willed Shuyin to return as well?" Maechen proposed to her.  
  
Yuna did not respond. The event at what had occurred at the Farplane came back to her. She closed her eyes. The moment the fayth had asked her if she wanted to see him, Yuna did not hesitate to say yes. Yet she could not hide that a small part of her heart had regretted when Shuyin had faded away as well.  
  
The pain she had seen in Shuyin's eyes as he saw that she was not Lenne burned into her mind. The anger she had seen on his face after realizing that Yuna was not his love made her feel utterly alone as well. Maybe it was because a part of her had felt the pang of jealously at seeing Shuyin and Lenne finally reunited after a thousand years, yet the jealously was due to her own pain and regret after losing Tidus two years ago.  
  
But as she watched them fade together under that starry sky, it made her wonder whether it would take that long when Yuna herself would finally see Tidus again. She was happy for Shuyin and Lenne, yet she could not deny the fact that the tragic couple's reunion had awakened something inside of her. It had made Yuna realize that she was alone, a feeling she had painfully tried to accept.  
  
When she first met Shuyin at the Farplane, he took away her loneliness and longing in that single moment of his embrace. Even if it might have been Lenne's feelings within her, Yuna had felt it all. The feelings she had experienced on that day were as real as she could ever imagine. The sense of happiness and comfort at being held by Shuyin was mixed with her own loneliness and that of Lenne's own conscience within her.  
  
What had happened during that single moment when she answered the fayth? She shook her head gently, hair swaying from side to side as she tried to remember what she had been thinking. Yes, she had thought of Tidus. And not just of her love, but Shuyin as well. In that single instance before she uttered those words to the fayth, Shuyin's face, although flashing for a brief second, had appeared in her mind. Maechen's voice interrupted her thoughts, causing her to look up into the old man's face.  
  
"Lady Yuna, what is the matter?" he asked her with concern.  
  
She put her head between her knees, looking down. "I-I'm sorry. It really is all my fault," she whispered, the harsh realization finally making it known.  
  
Maechen kneeled down and put a hand on her shoulder. "Now, Lady Yuna, please tell me what you mean," his voice said to her soothingly.  
  
A moment of silence passed before Yuna found herself again. "Maechen, when I told the fayth I wanted to see Tidus again, I think a part of me wanted Shuyin to come back too..." she trailed off, confusion suddenly overwhelming her. She watched the old man's face as it turned to one of surprise.  
  
"Shuyin?" Maechen echoed. He turned away from her.  
  
"I'm not so sure anymore. I don't even know if they were my feelings or if they were still Lenne's -- as if a part of her was still within me," Yuna whispered slowly. "But all I know is that I made a terrible mistake in holding those feelings for Shuyin back then."  
  
Yuna took a deep breath. "Yet I know I have no feelings for him now," she said after some time.  
  
As Yuna spoke those words, it made her feel a little better. She certainly knew she didn't have feelings for Shuyin, yet the moment when the fayth had asked her it, she couldn't deny that she really had felt something for him then, whether it be one of longing or a twisted sort of selfish jealousy.  
  
Yuna squeezed her eyes shut tightly, still confused about the truth. She looked up at the old man. "Maechen, what will I do now? He's here, and it's my fault," she whispered.  
  
"Lady Yuna, I think - no, I'm certain that you are strong enough to overcome this obstacle," he spoke to her, looking at her keenly through his spectacles. She was listening to him intently.  
  
He paused as if to choose his words carefully. "Even if you did feel something for Shuyin, perhaps we could assume that they weren't your own feelings?" his voice said, loudly and more fully this time. This caused Yuna to turn away for a moment.  
  
"Not my own feelings?" she whispered to herself. Her eyes flew to the old man. "But Maechen, how can that be? Lenne had faded away, and there was no way for me to feel what she felt..right?" Yuna asked in confusion.  
  
Maechen sat down next to her, his robes brushing the ground as he lowered himself. Turning to face her, his voice grew quiet. "I am unsure if I mentioned this to you."  
  
Yuna turned to him.  
  
The old man continued on. "They say that once pyreflies enter one's spirit and become intermingled with a person's own feelings even for the shortest amount of time, a part of the person still remains with you long after they have left the body," Maechen said darkly, causing a shiver to shoot through Yuna's body.  
  
She listened to his words incredulously. "Are you saying that a little part of Lenne still exists within me?" she asked.  
  
"To put it that way, then yes. Perhaps a small part of Lady Lenne is inside of you even now," he said.  
  
Yuna gasped. She looked down at the ground. "But how can that be?" she asked him.  
  
Standing up, Maechen began to walk around again slowly. "Do you ever notice how your feelings start to grow as you near the Farplane?" Maechen asked. "As if you feel so overwhelmed with emotions that it seems as if you want to weep?"  
  
Yuna froze at his words. She suddenly remembered the heavy feeling she had felt earlier as she approached the Farplane entrance when Buddy had dropped her off.  
  
"Yes, I've felt it," she whispered.  
  
"Ah, so you see that the pyreflies carry with them much more than just images and apparitions. They carry with them the feelings of those long gone, and those that have been unsent for a long time are capable of bringing more with them," Maechen explained. "Especially those with pain or regret..." he trailed off.  
  
Yuna suddenly remembered her journey to the Den of Woe with Rikku and Paine, and how her two partners had reacted when Shuyin had appeared. She had never been so frightened before, watching Rikku and Paine infected with pyreflies and how angry they had acted then. They had wanted to fight her, and she had fought them back with a heavy heart.  
  
She started to understand it now. Shuyin was filled with anger and sadness at the world that had taken Lenne away from him, and after Rikku and Paine had come into contact with Shuyin, they too had showed outright anger as they fought Yuna. Remembering how Shuyin had controlled Nooj and Baralai as well, Yuna couldn't help but wonder what else Shuyin was capable of doing. She paused at the thought.  
  
"Maechen, Shuyin had infected Nooj and Baralai back then, but does that mean they too carry Shuyin's anger within them?" Yuna asked with realization. "..because of the pyreflies that infected them?" she whispered, her eyes looking up to the old man, almost dreading what his answer would be.  
  
Maechen stopped in his steps. "You see Lady Yuna, that all depends on whether Nooj and Baralai were able to remain strong and not let Shuyin overcome their own spirits," he explained. He looked up into the pale orange sky. "If a person is strong enough to hold their spirit to themselves and not let another take it away, then the pyreflies will leave no other effect on them," Maechen said. "They will continue on with no trace of the pyreflies that had infected their body."  
  
Yuna looked down, finally piecing together the puzzle. It all made sense now. Yuna hadn't been able to control her emotions back then. Her heart was filled with a longing and an empty sadness that she could not explain. The loss of losing Tidus two years ago had remained with her then, and now she understood why Lenne's feelings remained with her. Yuna was not strong enough, and Lenne's spirit had become mixed within her own. And maybe they were still with her now.  
  
She realized Rikku and Paine had been strong back then. The two girls had fought off Shuyin's control over them and kept their sanity. Yet it was Yuna's own weakness that had inevitably led Shuyin to return. All because a fragment of Lenne's spirit had caused Yuna to long for the other man. She had to fight it off.  
  
She suddenly stood up and spoke softly. "Maechen, I understand now. I was weak then, and wasn't strong enough to know myself," she said.  
  
He said nothing, but looked up into the sky. "Ah, I'm glad that you see the truth," he said.  
  
Yuna walked over to where he stood. "But how do I stop him? Shuyin refuses to leave until I cooperate with him," she said slowly.  
  
The old man suddenly began to walk away, pyreflies slowly leaving his body as his form began to fade. He turned to Yuna. "In time, the answer will come to you. I know you will soon realize what you must do to put Shuyin to rest for good."  
  
She watched as Maechen's form began to dissipate. "Until then Lady Yuna, I must bid you farewell."  
  
Yuna watched the old man begin to fade until she could no longer see the outline of his body.  
  
"I have remained here for far too long, and my spirit grows weak," his voice echoed.  
  
Yuna watched as the old man faded away. When all the pyreflies had vanished, she began to walk away as well.  
  
She looked behind her once more. "Thank you, Maechen," she whispered after him.  
  
***  
  
"Rikku, is there something Yuna isn't telling me?" Tidus asked.  
  
His words caused the girl to stop in her steps. Her green eyes turned to him. "What do you mean?" Rikku asked with confusion.  
  
He looked away from the Al Bhed. "Nothing, forget I said anything."  
  
Rikku regarded him with a frown. "Alright then.."  
  
They had been walking around Besaid Island in search of Yuna. After discovering that Paine was not in her bed either, Rikku decided to join in his search for Yuna, and now Paine.  
  
Rikku suddenly stopped. Her eyes drifted towards the entrance to the secret cave. "We haven't checked in there yet," she told him, gesturing towards the dark entrance.  
  
His blue eyes simply stared into the darkness. After a moment of silence Tidus began to walk over to it. Rikku gasped.  
  
"Whoa! You're not really thinking of going in there, are ya?" she asked him, eyes wide in fright.  
  
He paused and turned towards her. "Why shouldn't I?"  
  
Rikku laughed nervously. "Ehehe..well you know... It's all dark and I'm not equipped or anything!" the girl said.  
  
Tidus raised an eyebrow at her and scratched his head. "Well, if you want, you can just stay out here. I won't be long."  
  
She paused before nodding. "Ok, then."  
  
He chuckled lightly at her. "So you're scared of the dark, huh?" Tidus laughed. He began to step into the cave as Rikku stayed outside. Her eyes followed his fading form.  
  
"Hey! You be quiet! But be careful, ok?" she yelled after him.  
  
Rikku barely heard his response as he had disappeared into the cave.  
  
***  
  
Struggling to focus his eyes in the darkness, he tried to feel the sides of the walls, hoping to navigate that way.  
  
"Yuna! Are you in here?" Tidus' voice echoed in the darkness. The only sound he could hear was the light jangling of his chains. He wished he had brought a fire spell with him to help with the light.  
  
After ten minutes had passed, he decided that it was no use. Yuna was obviously not there. Sighing to himself, he began to walk back in the direction he had come.  
  
His ears suddenly picked up a very faint sound, almost like the sound of a gentle wind. His steps faltered before stopping completely.  
  
Silence.  
  
Shrugging it off to have been his imagination, Tidus began to walk quietly back, unable to shake off the feeling that something else was in the cave with him.  
  
A faint glow suddenly caught the corner of his eye as a soft swooshing sound echoed more loudly this time. Turning around to look down the path behind him, he froze at the figure that stood before him.  
  
It was like looking into a mirror. The same deep eyes of azure, the light hair, the same facial features, and the man's clothing were all near duplicates of his own. Yet when he stared into the mirror this time, the image did not mimic his actions. His heart stopped beating, as if time itself had ceased. Tidus backed up slowly, hand instinctively reaching for his sword, only to come to the realization that he had not brought it with him.  
  
His stare never left the man that stood before him - the one who looked just like him.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Tidus demanded, quickly scanning the man up and down for any hint of a weapon he may have been carrying. But he held none.  
  
The young man simply smiled, showing a flash of his perfectly white teeth. He took a step forward. "Ah, so we finally meet," he said with a voice that sounded too much like his own.  
  
The soft glow of a pyrefly suddenly emerged from the man's body before his figure slowly began to fade into a mass of pyreflies, body and face barely outlined through the swarm.  
  
Tidus looked on in alarm, a soft gasp escaping his lips as the figure drew close to him. Stumbling back in an attempt to escape the area, he fell backward, his back painfully hitting the hard ground. He cringed in pain, blue eyes widening as the apparition of his twin drew nearer.  
  
"Do not fear. You will feel nothing," the apparition spoke, his voice lowering darkly.  
  
Before he could scramble back up, his vision was blinded as the figure and the swarm of pyreflies suddenly came charging towards him at a frightening speed.  
  
***  
  
Rikku paced outside the cave in worry. "Man, what's taking him so long?" she asked herself aloud. She shivered then as a sudden icy breeze blew, hitting her bare legs. "C'mon, Tidus. Hurry up..."  
  
The soft jangle of chains suddenly caused her eyes to fly towards the cave's entrance. She sighed in relief as Tidus finally stepped out into the moonlight.  
  
"Geez! What took you so long?!" she yelled at him, hitting him on his arm in frustration. "I thought you would never come out! It was way too dark out here!" Rikku exclaimed, kicking up dirt as she jumped slightly.  
  
Tidus simply stared at her, blue eyes glowing under the moonlight. The wind caught his feathery hair and gently caused it to flutter in the breeze.  
  
He smiled at her then. "I'm sorry," he softly spoke. Walking towards her, he gently put an arm around her shoulders.  
  
Rikku frowned at him. She playfully pushed him away. "Hey, what's with you?" she laughed.  
  
He blinked at her. "I thought you were mad."  
  
"Well I was, but now you're here now," she replied, chuckling a bit at him.  
  
Smiling slowly, he chuckled as well, following the girl as she led them back towards the village.  
  
He smiled to himself. "Yes, I'm here now."  
  
** End of Chapter 6 **  
  
A/N: Whew, that one took me a while. I promise Chapter 7 will be up soon. ^^  
  
Again, sorry for the cliffhanger! ^^; 


	7. Losing the Light

A/N: Chapter 7 already? I suppose I've been releasing these chapters quicker than I had anticipated. ^^; Again, I thank everyone who has enjoyed the story up to now, and thanks for all the wonderful reviews! =)  
  
** Chapter 7 **  
  
Yuna stared out the window, a removed expression evident on her face. She stood on the bridge of the Celsius, looking ahead into the dark night. The faint reflection of her face stared back at her from the glass. Up above, the stars twinkled out at her, their brilliant light sending a reassuring glow into the deck.  
  
"But how do I stop him..." Yuna spoke aloud to herself, clearly disappointed at how quickly Maechen had left. She sighed and clasped her hands behind her back.  
  
"Yuna, we're here," Buddy suddenly spoke, shaking her out of her thoughts. She looked up at the Al Bhed, trying to force herself to smile.  
  
"Ok."  
  
***  
  
"Maybe Yunie's back by now," Rikku said as the temple came into view.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
The two had arrived back at the village after the rather long walk from the cave. Rikku had found it odd that their entire journey had been full of silence.  
  
She decided to question Tidus about it.  
  
"Hey...you're awfully quiet," Rikku began. She stopped to look at him. Tidus met her gaze.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
Rikku sighed. "Don't worry, I'm sure Yuna just went out for a walk or something and we just missed her," she offered, hoping that was the reason why he was so quiet.  
  
Shrugging, he simply nodded and began to walk ahead of her towards the village entrance. Rikku frowned at his retreating back, wondering why he suddenly acted so cold.  
  
***  
  
It was nearly two hours past midnight when they had returned to the village square.  
  
A yawn suddenly escaped from her mouth. "Man, I'm tired," Rikku said, a bit embarrassed at having shown she was sleepy when Yuna and Paine were still missing. The small pebbles let out a soft crunching sound as she began to head towards her hut.  
  
"Why don't you rest now?" Tidus asked, watching Rikku's eyelids drift slightly closed while she struggled to keep them open again.  
  
"Yeah, I'm beat," she agreed. Beginning to walk towards her hut, she suddenly stopped and faced him. Rikku offered him a smile. "Listen, I'm sorry we couldn't find Yuna..." she trailed off. "And Paine's gone too, but we've been all over the island and they're not anywhere," Rikku said, her voice lowering as to not wake the village.  
  
He looked down at the ground. "They'll probably be here in the morning," Tidus simply said, raising his eyes to meet her green ones.  
  
Rikku blinked at him, surprised at how calm he seemed. She tried to hide her frown from him and smiled lightly instead. "Well, ok. I guess we'll wait until morning then," she said, beginning to walk towards her shelter. "Goodnight," she waved while continuing to walk away.  
  
He looked at her retreating form. Smirking a bit to himself, he decided to figure which shelter was theirs. Spotting one that was quaintly tucked behind some trees towards the back of the village, he began to head in that direction. As he neared the tan hut, his eyes spotted the small form of a dog sleeping next to the entrance. The animal did not look like normal dogs he had seen, as this one was slightly larger and seemed like it was dressed in small golden armors placed on its body.  
  
Frowning at the strange-looking dog, he carefully pulled back the flaps of the shelter and struggled to focus his eyes in the darkness. Stepping into the quiet hut, his eyes quickly scanned the room before drifting over to the bed. His mouth curved upwards into a smile.  
  
As he quietly walked near the bedside, he recognized the sleeping form of Yuna, the person he had intended to see. The soft glow of a nearby statue placed near the bed illuminated her features, and he took the opportunity to study her curiously.  
  
Her glossy hair as it fell around the smooth skin of her face, and the way the long lashes of her eyelids covered the green and blue pupils beneath, made his breath catch at her beauty. His eyes trailed down to her lips, the pink and glossy hue shining, causing him to remember the time he had captured them with his own. She looked too much like her.  
  
The twinkle of a familiar symbol sewn into the front of her shirt caused him to blink slightly. He vaguely remembered the team then, and his memory presently failed to recall its name.  
  
She suddenly moved, letting out a small whimper. She turned her body away from him, as she clutched the blankets next to her, almost as if she was reaching for someone to hold on to after awakening from a bad dream. He smirked at the thought and gently sat himself on the edge of the bed, putting an arm on the other side of her sleeping form.  
  
She stirred slightly and he saw her eyes flutter open before widening at him. "Tidus..." she whispered, sleep still evident in her voice. She sat up and smoothed her hair back a little, letting out a stifled yawn. "Where did you go?" she asked, eyes looking him over quickly.  
  
He smiled at her then, trying to remember what the blonde girl had been talking about earlier. "I could ask the same of you," he began, eyes trailing down her body, finally settling back up to meet her gaze. She smiled nervously at him and looked away.  
  
"I just went out for a walk," Yuna said, hoping he would believe her. She slowly turned her face to meet his once more.  
  
Pulling her into a hug, he raised a gloved hand and stroked her back tenderly. Her soft tresses gently brushed the side of his face. She smelled faintly of a flower he couldn't quite recall the name of. Inhaling the sweet scent, he felt her relax in his arms. "Well I'm just glad you're back," he whispered quietly. He felt her pull back and she looked at him with a curious expression.  
  
"And where did you go off to?" she asked with a soft giggle.  
  
He couldn't help but chuckle a bit as well. "I was looking for you," he simply replied.  
  
Yuna smiled. "Oh."  
  
He reached behind her and pulled her towards him again. "Well we're both here now," he whispered. "Are you tired?" he asked again.  
  
She yawned right then, causing him to laugh softly at her.  
  
"Let's rest now," he said.  
  
He pulled them down gently on the bed and drew her into his arms, reveling in the feel of having her this close to him. As they settled underneath the warmth of the blanket, he smirked inwardly to himself, taking great delight in how close she was. He paused for a moment to catch himself from the feelings she had made him feel right then. He shook his head a bit and focused on what he had planned to accomplish.  
  
"Goodnight," he heard her whisper.  
  
Smiling in the darkness, he lowered his face down near hers and planted a small kiss on her lips.  
  
Yuna froze slightly. His warm breath had grazed her skin then, eliciting a small shiver to race through her body. It had felt exactly like her dream and the previous encounter with Shuyin. She paused and shook her head to forget about those feelings.  
  
He noticed the troubled expression on her face, causing him to raise his eyebrows at her curiously. "What's the matter?" he asked, the soft evenness of his voice comforting her.  
  
She shook her head slightly, drawing herself closer to him. "It's nothing. Let's sleep now," she replied.  
  
Nodding at her in the darkness, he tightened his hold around her waist and let his eyes flutter close.  
  
On the nightstand, the statue illuminated with an eerie glow. On the left, the figure of the woman released a bright, but weak light. On the right, the figure of the man remained dark, not giving off a single ray of light.  
  
***  
  
"Rikku, wake up," a voice spoke whispered.  
  
The Al Bhed flinched at the gentle shaking, letting out a groan. Cracking her eyelids open, the bright morning sunlight greeted her sensitive eyes. She turned her body at the person who awakened her and met deep ruby eyes.  
  
"Ugh, Paine!" Rikku whined, raising an arm to shield her eyes from the sunlight. "What'd you wake me up for?" the girl asked, shutting her eyes.  
  
Paine sighed and seated herself on the edge of the bed. "Rikku, there's something I want to talk to you about," the other woman spoke, her eyes cast downward.  
  
Rikku's eyes flew open. She knew Paine wouldn't have woken her up if it weren't important. The warrior's tone also confirmed her suspicions. Sitting up from the bed, a concerned expression appeared on Rikku's face. "What is it?" she began. Remembering the previous night's events she turned to Paine. "And where did you go last night?" Rikku questioned.  
  
The Al Bhed watched as Paine suddenly stood up, walking towards the window. Her deep red eyes gazed out into the clear morning, the warm sunlight soothing her. She sighed softly and looked out towards the ocean. "It's about Yuna."  
  
Rikku stopped. Pushing the blankets away, she sat down on the edge of the bed and watched Paine in worry.  
  
"Yunie? What about her?" Rikku spoke, concern evident in her voice.  
  
Paine turned to face the girl. She sat down in the chair nearest her and turned to face Rikku once more.  
  
"Rikku, it's about where I was last night," she spoke softly, a solitary strand of her dark hair falling in front of her eyes. She raised a gloved hand to brush it away.  
  
Rikku continued to listen, wondering what had caused Paine to seem like this. "Paine, what happened?" she asked, knowing full well that something was really wrong.  
  
Ruby eyes met green ones. "I followed her last night."  
  
***  
  
Turning herself over underneath the blankets, she burrowed down deeper and snuggled near Tidus' warm chest. She brought her arm and came to wrap itself around him. With their legs entwined with each other under the blanket, Yuna felt completely at peace.  
  
Moments later, she felt him stir slightly in his sleep, the soft jangle of his chains clinking in time with his movements. She felt one of his other arms come around her and shivered slightly as the cold feeling of his glove touched her bare back. Yuna frowned to herself, wondering why he hadn't taken off his gloves like he had always done each night.  
  
She suddenly felt eyes watching her. Carefully looking up into his face, she was no less surprised when she found blue eyes staring down at her. Tidus smiled, reaching to brush away a few stray strands that had fallen in front of her eyes.  
  
"Did you sleep well?" he asked softly.  
  
Yuna stifled a yawn and snuggled closer to him. "Mm-hmm."  
  
A moment of silence passed between them.  
  
After another minute had passed, Yuna cracked her eyes open and wondered why he was suddenly very quiet. She turned her head to look into his face. He was staring at a fixed spot on the ceiling.  
  
"Hey, what's the matter?" she asked, carefully raising herself up so that she was level with his face.  
  
His eyes drifted down to meet hers. "Just thinking..." he trailed off, turning his body so that he was completely facing her.  
  
Yuna turned to face him as well. "About what?"  
  
His features suddenly turned serious. "Have you ever felt as if someone or something had given you another chance at life?" Tidus began, eyes never leaving hers.  
  
Yuna paused as his words sunk in. She lay back down and let her eyes gaze up at the ceiling. "Yes, I've felt that way before," she said softly.  
  
Of course she had. In fact she had often felt as if many chances had been thrown her way since her pilgrimage had ended. Two years ago, Yuna knew her journey was heading down a linear road, and she had been expecting to meet her end once that road had reached Zanarkand. Back then, she felt as if there was no other way around the road, but the sacrifice would have been worth it. Yet, here she was two years later, alive and well.  
  
Her eyes slowly drifted to Tidus. Yes, and there was him of course. She couldn't begin to describe how empty she had felt when he left two years ago. She always tried to keep a positive smile on her face, just so her guardians wouldn't worry. Yet they knew his departure had pained her. They chose not to speak about Tidus at all because they knew Yuna would always look up at them with a pained look in her eyes whenever she heard someone mention his name.  
  
"You came back, and that's all I needed to begin my life again," Yuna said softly, turning her face so she could gaze lovingly at him. He was watching her.  
  
"Because I came back..." Tidus echoed. He turned away from her.  
  
Yuna looked on. Sitting up a bit so she could move over to him, she cautiously placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?" she asked softly.  
  
He didn't answer. Yuna looked down and moved over back to her side, concern clearly evident on her face. She looked down at her hands.  
  
Silence.  
  
"I've been given another chance, Yuna," she heard him say after some time. He turned around to look at her this time. Moving his body near hers, he raised a hand to stroke her face gently.  
  
Yuna met his gaze and tried to suppress a shiver at the cold touch of his glove. She smiled softly at him.  
  
He lowered his face so that it was mere centimeters above hers. His hand reached out and stroked her hair.  
  
"I've missed you," he whispered.  
  
***  
  
"Rikku, look at me."  
  
The girl refused to meet the warrior's ruby eyes. "It can't be." Rikku whispered in disbelief.  
  
Paine sighed and walked over to where the other girl was sitting. "Rikku, I know what I heard last night."  
  
This caused the Al Bhed to look up. "So what do we do now?" she said softly, feeling the sting of defeat. She stood and walked over to Paine. "But why? There's no reason for him to come back!" Rikku suddenly exclaimed, causing Paine to sigh again.  
  
"I don't know all the answers," Paine began. She walked over to her bed and pulled out her sword. Rikku's eyes followed her. "But I do know someone who might be able to answer us," she finished, bending down to slip on her boots.  
  
Rikku frowned at her. "Shouldn't we go tell Yunie?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
Paine stopped and looked over at the Al Bhed. "Rikku, I'm sure there's a reason why Yuna has been keeping this from us," she began. Rikku looked down at the ground, yet Paine pressed on. "When she's ready to tell us, she will," the warrior finished, beginning to walk towards the door.  
  
"But we gotta stick together! Why keep secrets from each other?" Rikku demanded. The girl's voice suddenly quieted. "And this isn't any small secret."  
  
Paine faltered in her steps.  
  
"Let's go, Rikku. We need to leave before anyone spots us," Paine spoke quietly, ignoring Rikku's last comment. Although she had chose not to reply to what Rikku had said, the warrior knew full well that this certainly wasn't something Yuna should have been keeping to herself.  
  
Reaching up to brush away a strand of hair, Paine walked out of the shelter.  
  
Rikku ran after the warrior. "Where are we going?" she yelled, trying to catch up to Paine's quick strides.  
  
"Bevelle."  
  
***  
  
His intense azure eyes burned into hers as a gloved hand gently stroked her hair. Yuna felt a warm blush creep over her cheeks as she gazed up into the endless pool of blue.  
  
"Why don't we go somewhere today. Just the two of us," Tidus whispered, gaze never leaving hers.  
  
Yuna struggled to find her words, but was finding it increasingly difficult to focus with his deep gaze locked onto her. He had never acted this way before.  
  
"Okay," she replied, raising a hand to play with the necklace dangling from his neck. He still hovered over her with one of his hands resting on the side of her pillow while the other lazily ran through her hair.  
  
She watched as he leaned down, his face suddenly nearing hers. Her eyes instinctively closed as she felt his lips lightly graze hers. As she tried to meet his kiss, he had pulled away before her lips could even touch them. Her eyes flew open.  
  
Tidus was smiling down at her, a somewhat teasing smirk evident on his face. She couldn't help but smile at his antics and hit him playfully on the arm.  
  
"You're teasing me," she said with a pout.  
  
He simply leaned back down and kissed her again, longer and more fully this time. Yuna lay there and reveled in the feeling of his lips on hers once more. She sighed into him as she felt one of his gloved hands lower the thin strap of her shirt. She pulled away and took short breaths, meeting his gaze.  
  
"Didn't you want to go somewhere today?" Yuna asked him, a bit surprised and embarrassed at his sudden forwardness. She watched his expression closely.  
  
"You're right, we should get going," he replied. Yuna faintly caught the small hint of a grin on his face. Climbing off the bed, he offered a hand to her.  
  
Straightening herself, Yuna took hold of his hand as Tidus pulled her to her feet.  
  
"Where are we going?" she asked him softly, bending down to retrieve her boots. When she received no response from him, she turned to look up.  
  
He was staring at the statue near the bedside, its soft glow throwing gentle rays of light upon his eyes. Yuna's own eyes moved to look at it as well.  
  
As soon as her eyes landed upon the glowing statue, she paused and tilted her head to the side a bit in confusion. Walking closer to it, she studied the object closely and reconfirmed her initial suspicion. There was no mistaking it.  
  
"Why aren't you glowing?" Yuna asked him, kneeling down to look more closely into the statue. She looked at her own figure. It's light shone brightly at her.  
  
"What?" Tidus questioned, a soft jangle of his chain indicating that he had moved to stand behind her.  
  
She cocked her head to the side to look up at him. "The figure of you. It's supposed to be glowing." Yuna replied, more to herself than to him.  
  
He said nothing.  
  
"Maybe it's broken," Yuna spoke again, still looking at the piece closely. She frowned. "But it shouldn't be, because both you and I are near it." she continued.  
  
Preparing to stand up once again, Yuna suddenly felt his arms come around her as he pulled her up himself. He leaned down and spoke to her softly.  
  
"We should go now. Today, I don't want anyone to disturb us," Tidus murmured softly, the coldness of his glove on her exposed skin sending a shiver through her body.  
  
** End of Chapter 7 **  
  
A/N: Sorry to end it there, but I want this particular part to continue to Chapter 8. So see you then! ^^ 


	8. A Shadow and the Dream

A/N: Well here we go. Chapter 8 is finally here. This one will uncover more to the plot, yet there won't be any shocking twists or anything.at least I don't think there will be as of now. Maybe in the next chapter. ^_~  
  
** Chapter 8 **  
  
"Buddy! Where are you?" Rikku demanded, her footsteps echoing across the metal flooring of the Celsius.  
  
Silence.  
  
Rikku groaned. "Forget it. I can pilot this thing myself!" she declared, running to the front and hopping into the pilot seat.  
  
Paine watched her and paused in her steps. "Rikku, are you sure you've done this before?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
The girl nodded, her blonde hair bouncing slightly. "Sure have!" Rikku answered as the engine roared to life. "Alright, here we go!"  
  
"Hey, hey! What're you doing?" a voice suddenly asked from behind them.  
  
Rikku turned around to see Buddy coming down the steps onto the bridge. "Well there you are!" she exclaimed at him.  
  
Buddy looked from Paine to Rikku. "Where's Yuna?" he asked them.  
  
Paine turned her back to him. "We need to go to Bevelle," she simply stated, ignoring his question.  
  
Rikku interjected. "Yup! I was just about to fly us there!"  
  
The other Al Bhed sighed. "First Yuna, and now you two?" he said in defeat. Walking over to the pilot seat, he looked down at Rikku and the girl stood up for him. He sat down in her place.  
  
"I don't know what you all are doing, but whatever it is, I have a right to know since I'm doing all these favors," he said, punching the buttons to input the airship's course. He turned his head and looked at them.  
  
"Where to?"  
  
Paine walked to the front where Rikku and Buddy were. "To Bevelle," she answered him.  
  
Buddy sighed and adjusted his goggles. "Alright, but Brother sure isn't going to like this," the Al Bhed remarked.  
  
Rikku snorted. "Ah, who cares what he thinks!" she exclaimed. Looking around the bridge she chuckled. "Where is he, anyway?"  
  
"He's still in the cabin, depressed like always..." Buddy replied.  
  
"Still? Man, he needs to get over it!" Rikku replied. She paused. "Geez, I'll go talk to him.," Rikku said quietly as she began to walk up the steps towards the elevator.  
  
Paine smiled inwardly to herself as she listened to the conversation. Although she hadn't known Rikku as long as Buddy and Yuna had, she still saw that Rikku truly cared for Brother, even if the girl never really showed it much. Rikku didn't express the same type of affection towards her brother like she did for Yuna or Paine.  
  
Still, Paine saw through the girl's insults and through her arguments with her brother. The warrior knew it was somewhat normal for siblings to argue such as Rikku and Brother had. Of course, Paine never had any siblings to argue with, so she never really experienced what it was truly like and what it meant to have a brother or sister. The only people Paine had begun to consider family were Yuna and Rikku and even those on the airship who had shown her kindness since she had met them. Even Nooj, Baralai and Gippal had won a place in the warrior's heart, even if she hadn't admitted it to anyone. Her heart had opened up once again when she hadn't thought it ever would.  
  
"Alright then. Next stop, Bevelle," Buddy's voice cut in.  
  
Paine turned and faced him. "Thanks."  
  
***  
  
The soft mist of the waterfall gently sprayed across her face, causing her to blink at the sudden water in her eyes. Following the wooden bridge up, she listened to the soft sounds her boots made on the ground's surface. Her eyes fell downward as the silence between them echoed in her ears.  
  
Tidus walked a little ahead of her, and the sudden emptiness in her hand caused her to wonder why he didn't seem as if he wanted to walk hand in hand like they usually did. She nodded her head a bit to herself and quickened her pace until she caught up to him.  
  
Reaching down to lock their fingers together, she watched as he suddenly turned around to face her, as if he was startled. She smiled at him.  
  
"Sorry, did I scare you?"  
  
He sent her a sideways grin. "No, you just surprised me a bit," Tidus replied. She felt his grip tighten around her hand.  
  
Yuna laughed softly. "Ah, so I did scare you."  
  
He turned his head to look at her with an amused smile. "I suppose you did," he replied with a sigh.  
  
They continued past the final bridge. Yuna turned her head to the side as they neared the waterfall. Since the winds had begun to blow considerably hard that morning, she didn't want to get sprayed by the water again.  
  
She wondered why he was so quiet during their walk. That morning he seemed playful and at ease with her, yet right now he seemed a bit removed. Deciding not to question him about it, her eyes wandered down to their joined hands. She frowned at the sight of his wrist. Something didn't seem right.  
  
Yuna slowed her pace until he stopped as well. She raised her eyes to look at him.  
  
"Where's your bracelet?" she asked, motioning to his empty wrist.  
  
Tidus held his wrist in front of him and examined it with a puzzled expression. He looked up at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your silver bracelet. You always wear it, right?" Yuna replied.  
  
He raised both wrists up and examined them closely as the memory returned to him. 'Ah, I remember it now.'  
  
"Oh, it must have dropped while I was in the cave looking for you last night," Tidus explained to her.  
  
'It dropped off his wrist when he fell. Yes, that's right. I remember now.'  
  
Yuna nodded. "Do you want to go back there and try to look for it?" she asked, beginning to walk towards the cave overlook.  
  
Tidus slowly nodded, as if trying to recall something. "Sure."  
  
***  
  
"Paine, Rikku. It's nice to see you two again."  
  
"Hey, Baralai. What's up?" Rikku greeted with a grin.  
  
The young man simply sat down and motioned for the two girls to take a seat in the chairs as well. "Nothing really. I've been settling some last minute matters regarding New Yevon here," he began. Raising a hand to straighten his collar, he continued. "But it's nothing to get concerned over. Hostilities between the factions have grown considerably peaceful now."  
  
"That's good to hear," Paine commented with a nod.  
  
"Yeah, I'm glad that's taken care of," Rikku agreed.  
  
Baralai looked at the two. "So, what brings you both here?" he asked them with a soft smile, a solitary lock of his silver hair falling past his headband.  
  
Paine's expression turned somber. "We came to ask you something.." she began.  
  
Rikku turned her eyes from Paine to Baralai for a moment. "Yeah, it's about something with Yunie and-" Rikku stopped as Paine's eyes shot across the table to meet the Al Bhed's gaze. Rikku hesitated and caught herself. The expression on the warrior's face clearly wanted her not to reveal the whole story yet.  
  
Baralai's eyes drifted between the two.  
  
"Uh, yeah. It's something Yuna made us wonder about," Rikku replied instead.  
  
"Oh?" Baralai asked curiously. "Go on."  
  
"Baralai, I know you may not want to speak about this, but..." Paine trailed off.  
  
He raised his eyes to meet hers. "No, please go on."  
  
Paine sighed and continued. "We need to know everything that you remember when Shuyin took control of your body," she said finally.  
  
Rikku watched the other man's reaction. She saw him look down and stand up from the chair to walk over to the window. Paine's eyes followed him.  
  
After a moment of silence, the young man began to speak once more. "Shuyin, yes. Although I don't remember every moment of that time, there are small fragments I do recall," Baralai explained.  
  
Paine and Rikku said nothing but continued to listen to him. They watched as he hung his head low for a moment before finally speaking once more.  
  
"I don't recall ever being able to control myself," he began. Paine watched him smile, perhaps one that held remorse. "I suppose I was too weak to break free of Shuyin's control over me," Baralai said shamefully.  
  
"Too weak?" Rikku echoed him. Her green eyes watched him.  
  
Baralai turned to the Al Bhed. "Yes, I was too weak to grab hold of my own feelings, that's why Shuyin was able to control me easily," he explained again.  
  
Paine stood from the chair. "I guess you're wondering where this is all leading to.." she began, anxious to find the answers she needed.  
  
He stopped and turned to her. "Yes, I am," he said while a soft chuckle escaped his lips.  
  
"There's just something I want to know," Paine began.  
  
"What is it?" Baralai asked, his eyebrows knitting slightly as he listened to Paine.  
  
A moment of silence passed before Paine found the words she was looking for. "I once heard that even if a person is sent, they can still return to the world if there's something strong enough to pull them back there.." she trailed off to gather her thoughts. "..like Vegnagun was to Shuyin, right?" Paine asked.  
  
Baralai put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "That is true. I once remember Kinoc speaking about that some years ago as well," he remembered.  
  
Rikku listened to the two, suddenly remembering something. "Now that you mention it, I remember two years ago when I first went to the Farplane with Yuna, Lord Jyscal of the Guado came out from the Farplane with a sphere," Rikku spoke, her memory recalling the moments. Her eyes gazed down at her hands. "It's because something terrible had happened to him, and he needed to tell someone about it.."  
  
Paine looked up at the girl.  
  
"It was so strong that his spirit came out of the Farplane just so he could let someone know," Rikku finished, recalling the events clearly. Lord Jyscal had brought a sphere with him then, and when they watched what it held, the revelations were truly shocking.  
  
"So it's true then," Paine spoke with realization. "The soul can return again if something that strong is pulling them back.."  
  
"Yes, it makes more sense now," Baralai agreed quietly. His eyes stared ahead before slowly drifting to Paine. "So what does this have to do with you coming here?" he asked suddenly, the story catching his interest.  
  
Paine looked at him solemnly. "It's something I don't feel too comfortable talking about," she simply replied.  
  
Baralai's face frowned a bit, yet he looked away so they wouldn't see it.  
  
"I see," Rikku heard him speak.  
  
"But will it ever end?" Paine pressed on, still speaking to Baralai, his back still facing them. "When will the person rest without having something on this plane pulling them back here again?" she asked softly. Her eyes fell to the floor.  
  
Baralai's robes swished softly as the two watched him walk over to stand in front of the large window, the afternoon sun casting a brilliant glow on his dark features. He sighed softly.  
  
"When that person gets what it is that's drawing them back here, they'll be able to rest," he answered quietly.  
  
***  
  
Yuna's eyes squinted in the darkness. She struggled to focus her vision in the cave's poor light, trying to look for the silver bracelet. Spinning around on her heel, she turned to head back to Tidus in defeat.  
  
She saw him look up as she approached.  
  
"Any luck?" he asked her.  
  
"None," Yuna replied.  
  
She watched him head down the left path, scanning the ground quickly. Deciding to follow him, she looked at the ground as well.  
  
After another moment, she heard Tidus chuckle softly before he bent down. Running over to him, she saw the unmistakable glint of the bracelet dangling from his fingers.  
  
"Found it," he said.  
  
She smiled. "Good."  
  
He stopped to fasten the jewelry back on his wrist. Yuna watched him and giggled. He looked up at her, blue eyes curious.  
  
"What?"  
  
She clasped her hands behind her back. "Don't you always wear it on your other hand?" Yuna asked.  
  
Tidus looked down at his wrist and chuckled nervously. "Ah, you're right," he said while fastening the bracelet on his other hand.  
  
Yuna suddenly stopped laughing and watched him seriously. She noticed that he had been acting strangely since the previous night. Not only that, but she could tell that he hadn't been doing the same things he normally did. He had been reluctant to hold her hand earlier that day, and although Yuna was slightly embarrassed to admit it as well, she noticed that he had kissed her differently - almost as if he had changed overnight. She shook her head of the unwanted thoughts and focused on him once more.  
  
"Ready?" Tidus suddenly asked her, beginning to walk towards the cave's exit.  
  
She turned to him, hoping he hadn't caught on to her suspicion. "Ready," Yuna agreed.  
  
***  
  
"Impossible. Two cannot simply return back to the world in the way you are describing it."  
  
"Yes, but they are both there now," a childlike voice spoke, soft but wise beyond its years.  
  
"And what's worse! One is merely a shadow of the other!" the other voice spoke, louder and more fully this time. "Can you even claim that they are separate entities?"  
  
The hood fell over the child's eyes in shame, hiding the dark eyes beneath.  
  
"You will correct this problem."  
  
The child looked up at the other figure. "What?"  
  
"If the problem is not fixed, I will bring one of them back here myself," the voice continued on. He stepped into the darkness of the shadows, crossing his arms at the child.  
  
"But how can they both be there at the same time at the same place?" the child spoke, turning his back on the other figure.  
  
"There is a balance that must not be disturbed. It seems as if one appeared soon after the other left," the voice responded solemnly.  
  
The child hesitated, but the voice continued to speak.  
  
"Do you understand what he is?"  
  
"I am unsure now.." the child replied quietly.  
  
The other figure began to walk, the distinct sound of a robe brushing the ground gently as the figure moved toward the center.  
  
"The dream has been reborn," the voice began. There was a brief pause. "And the fayth has granted the wish by letting the dream continue on."  
  
The child turned to face the dark figure, a small pyrefly forming from one of the arms, the faint shimmer of light reflecting upon the child's face.  
  
"Yet what of the other? Must we assume that he is of no importance?" the voice asked, the sound echoing in the still silence.  
  
"Yes, but she hadn't willed him to return," the child answered.  
  
The figure paused and turned to the child. "Ah, but can you correctly assume that this is so? How are you sure she did not want the true entity to return?"  
  
There was another moment of silence between the two before the child spoke. "Because I saw the way they acted when they were together. I know she was close to him and I felt how strong their connection was," the child answered.  
  
There was a soft chuckle from the other figure. "Don't you find it rather ironic that the dream has been given another chance and the true one has not?" the voice asked.  
  
"I do not know.." the child replied quietly.  
  
"Ah, but you do know," the voice replied. The cloak continued to brush the ground as the child watched the figure turn his back. "You see, it seems that there are two possibilities that can explain why they are both there now."  
  
A pause.  
  
"You said that she had originally intended only the dream to return, yet that does not explain the true entity's sudden reappearance. If I am assuming that what you had mentioned is correct, then her bond with the dream is strong, so he is there with her now. Yet who or what had summoned the real one to return as well?" the voice asked.  
  
The child did not reply but continued to listen.  
  
"There are only two ways in which one can return, yet they all have one aspect that is in relation to each other. If there is something in the real world in which they hold dear to them long after departure, then their feelings will be so powerful that it allows them to return to the world once again, if only for a brief moment."  
  
"And what is the other reason?" the child asked, already knowing what the answer would be.  
  
The figure began to chuckle lowly once more. "The answer is simple, yet I still do not understand how it could have occurred," the voice began. "The only other explanation to this matter is that she has made them both return through her will."  
  
The child's hood fell slightly, the light revealing a glimpse of the dark eyes that lay beneath. "But how can she hold feelings that strong for both to return?" the child asked incredulously.  
  
"Interesting indeed. Yet one fact is certain," the other replied. "Now that they are both there, their presence has caused an imbalance in the planes. If her bond falters with even one of them, then they will disappear forever."  
  
"But you said they were not even separate entities."  
  
"I did say that didn't I? Well, I suppose that is true to an extent, yet their return to the world gives them one more chance at living, and it's up to the girl to determine which of them stays."  
  
** End of Chapter 8 **  
  
A/N: Ok, I feel that I should explain a few things first. I'm sure that those who have completed FFX and FFX-2 know which two people I'm referring to in the last dialogue above. To those who have not finished FFX or X-2 yet, this may not make any sense, and it's a spoiler for both games.  
  
** For those who have not finished FFX or FFX-2 AND don't care if I spoil it for you**, here's what I'm trying to explain in the dialogue:  
  
**STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT IT SPOILED** =)  
  
In FFX, Tidus was a dream of the fayth. The fayth had dreamt of the old Zanarkand from their memories, and Tidus was among this dream. Coincidentally in FFX-2, the game elaborates more on this story of the Zanarkand dream in an indirect way when they reveal Shuyin's story. Shuyin lived in the real Zanarkand during the war with Bevelle and he and Lenne died in their time. Shuyin was a real person in the real Zanarkand. When the fayth dreamed of Zanarkand based on their memories of the city, Shuyin was among this memory, so it is assumed that Tidus is the dream of who Shuyin was in the real Zanarkand 1000 years ago. Hence why they look so similar to each other.  
  
** END OF SPOILER **  
  
Also, to any who do not know yet, Tidus is possessed by Shuyin at this very moment in the story. When the two figures were speaking in the above dialogue, there is a reference to this when one of them mentions how they are "not even separate entities of each other" which explains that Tidus is the dream of Shuyin, so they aren't totally "separate." Yet this story makes them completely different people, which they are. But at this moment, they are in one body. It all adds to what I'm trying to tell in the story, so I hope this clears up some confusion for some people, and I will elaborate more in future chapters of course.  
  
Until then. ^^ 


	9. Spies

A/N: Perhaps this benefits you all, since I am now on winter break for a while and I have a bit more time to write these chapters. ^^ Yet I'm still deciding what direction I'm going to take this story from this point on, but it's nothing that poses any problem.  
  
Again, I thank everyone for the feedback they've been giving me so far with the story. It means a lot. ^^  
  
** Chapter 9 **  
  
"What the hell do you mean?"  
  
"I'm sorry Paine, but it is what may eventually happen if what you're telling me is true," Baralai spoke.  
  
"But what difference does it make if they're both here right now?" Rikku interjected quietly.  
  
Baralai sighed. "This isn't easy for me to explain, but I'll try my best."  
  
"Ok," Paine said, taking a seat next to Rikku.  
  
The two girls had told Baralai about what the current situation with Yuna was. Although Paine was slightly hesitant with revealing the story to him, she realized there was no way around it if they wanted his help. Baralai was the only person Paine and Rikku knew who had experienced Shuyin's abilities firsthand and perhaps there was some way he could have helped. Of course there was Nooj who had also been possessed by Shuyin, but Paine felt that leaving those memories behind was the best for Nooj.  
  
"If you remember, I told you that Kinoc mentioned that the soul can return if something on our plane is strong enough to draw their consciousness back here," Baralai began, as he slowly paced around the table. Rikku and Paine's eyes followed him.  
  
"And Rikku, you seem to have confirmed that when you spoke about Lord Jyscal coming out of the Farplane just so he could give you a sphere," Baralai continued, directing towards what Rikku had said earlier.  
  
"Yeah, it's what happened two years ago when Yuna went on her pilgrimage," Rikku replied.  
  
"I suppose what I'm trying to get at is the question on why Shuyin has returned," Baralai said, frowning slightly at the mention of the man's name.  
  
"When I followed Yuna to the Farplane that night, I heard her telling the old man that she had "feelings for him" or something like that," Paine suddenly spoke, remembering the conversation she had witnessed between Yuna and Maechen. "I couldn't hear everything they were talking about, but Yuna did speak about that."  
  
"What do you mean 'feelings for him'?" Rikku asked, a concerned expression on her face.  
  
Paine sighed and looked down at the table. "I know what I heard."  
  
"Yunie? Feelings for Shuyin?" Rikku echoed again, her eyes drifting down to stare at the floor in shock.  
  
The warrior shook her head slowly. "No, there must be something more to what Yuna meant when she said that," Paine spoke, trying to make sense of the whole situation. Her voice grew quiet. "I saw how happy she was when she ran to him after jumping from the airship that day, so there's no way she can feel anything for Shuyin."  
  
"Of course she doesn't.." Rikku trailed off for a moment, her expression looking removed.  
  
Baralai coughed softly, drawing the attention of the other two. "If they both stay here, I am unsure of what the consequences may be," he said.  
  
Paine looked up. "Consequences?"  
  
"Yes. The fayth does not allow one to be reborn that easily, yet in Yuna's case it seems they had given her this one wish," Baralai responded, resting his chin in one hand. "Yet the fayth has given her both of her wishes if she did indeed hold feelings for him and Shuyin.."  
  
"No! Yunie could never feel anything for Shuyin at all! Never!" Rikku shouted then, anger clearly evident in her expression. She looked down at the table silently.  
  
"I'm sorry for saying that," Baralai apologized softly to Rikku. The Al Bhed said nothing and continued to look down at the floor.  
  
Paine looked from Rikku to the other man. "Baralai, what did you mean earlier when you said that there are consequences?" she asked.  
  
Baralai sighed and folded his hands in front of him, resting them on the table. "I do not know how it happened, but there shouldn't have been a reason why Shuyin came back here. Like I spoke about earlier, the soul can only return back to our plane if there is something here that is so strong that their souls cannot escape from.." Baralai trailed off, realizing his error.  
  
Rikku had realized it as well, for the girl darted her head up to look at Baralai in time to his words. "No, you don't mean.."  
  
Paine looked over at the Al Bhed, realizing what Baralai had meant as well.  
  
"You don't mean that Shuyin is the one who came here because he's attached to...Yunie?" Rikku finished, the words escaping her lips. Even to her own ears, the words sounded frighteningly wrong. But why? Shuyin was with Lenne now, and they were at peace..right? The two tragic lovers had spent an eternity trying to be together again, and it was inevitably Shuyin's regret that his feelings caused his soul to wander for 1000 years.  
  
"Since two have returned as a result of Yuna, the fayth simply can't let them both escape," Baralai spoke once more. "The fayth can only give so much, and this was something I have never seen before in all my years. To think that a person was reborn from the pyreflies..it truly is interesting."  
  
"For Shuyin, this is his second chance to come back here," Paine said quietly.  
  
"And that is why this situation is so dangerous. With all the anger he has been carrying with him since the time his soul had been wandering, they've become too strong, and his attachment to this world is stronger because of that," Baralai explained. He stood and walked to the window once more. "Perhaps Shuyin's attachment to this world is much stronger than that of the other young man."  
  
"But it still doesn't justify how Shuyin came back here," Paine spoke quietly. She leaned back in her chair in defeat, crossing her arms as she did so.  
  
Baralai suddenly spoke, his back still to them. "Tell me something. This young man that has returned to Lady Yuna again - what is he like?"  
  
Rikku couldn't help but smile at the simple question. "Tidus? Why do you ask?" the Al Bhed spoke.  
  
"No particular reason. Just out of curiosity's sake," Baralai replied with a slight chuckle. "Also, we keep speaking about him and I still have not met him, nor do I know of his appearance."  
  
"Well to tell you the truth, when we first met him two years ago before Yuna's pilgrimage began, everyone thought he was a little strange," Rikku began.  
  
Baralai turned to face them once more. "Strange? In what way?"  
  
Rikku leaned back in her chair, resting her head on her arms. "He claimed that he came from Zanarkand. At first we all thought it was just because of Sin's toxin that he was talking crazily like that. But later we found out it was true," Rikku spoke, the memories returning to her once more. "He really was from Zanarkand..but it wasn't what you would think."  
  
"Zanarkand?" Baralai echoed, his ears hanging on Rikku's every word.  
  
It was Paine who spoke as well. "What do you mean, Rikku?" the warrior asked. "He can't possibly be from Zanarkand. That city has been gone for a long time."  
  
Rikku suddenly paused, her voice lowering until it was almost a whisper. "That's right, you both don't know about Tidus, do you?" she asked them.  
  
"No, what is it?" Paine asked, a hint of trouble evident in her voice.  
  
Baralai waited as well, standing with his arms crossed.  
  
Rikku gazed between the two. "You remember how the fayth had dreamed up a Zanarkand from their memories right? It was Zanarkand, but everyone in it were all dreams. Memories by the fayth of the ancient city," Rikku began. She took a deep breath as if to gather her thoughts once more. "The man Yuna fell in love with two years ago - the one you saw that day on the beach - Tidus is a dream of the fayth, a dream of a person who once lived on Zanarkand one-thousand years ago."  
  
Paine's necklace jangled softly as the warrior suddenly sat up, the magnitude of the Al Bhed's words hitting her full force. "Rikku, what do you mean?" Paine spoke in disbelief. She had never expected that Tidus held such a shocking history.  
  
"It's true, Paine. He was just a dream of the fayth's memories of the people of Zanarkand, and now he's a real person now. All because Yuna had wanted him to come back," Rikku said.  
  
Baralai's voice suddenly cut through. He raised his eyes to meet Rikku's green orbs. "Tell me, Rikku. What does this young man look like?" Baralai asked again.  
  
Before Rikku could reply, she stopped suddenly, the words losing themselves in her mouth. Her hand trembling, she brought it up to her mouth in shock. Raising her eyes to look at Paine and Baralai, she gasped softly at the realization.  
  
"He looks just like Shuyin..."  
  
***  
  
She struggled to breathe as he kissed her deeply. Her back leaning against the cold stone walls of the secluded waterfall archway, she felt his tongue gently graze her lips as he held her against the wall. His chains clinked softly as he raised a hand to wrap around her shoulders, still kissing her all the while more.  
  
Yuna suddenly felt the coldness of one gloved hand as it snaked its way under her shirt and grazed the sensitive skin of her back. She sighed against him and suddenly pulled away, the lingering feeling of his lips leaving hers. He stared back at her in the darkness with a confused expression, his blue eyes glowing from the little light that entered the archway. Outside, the soft waterfall continued to splash against the rocks, mists of water hitting her bare legs. They were enclosed on three sides by stone walls, the fourth side being the exit where the waterfall was falling next to them. Tidus stood in front of her, holding her body close to his while her back was pinned against the wall.  
  
"Maybe we should head back now," Yuna spoke to him hesitantly. She didn't feel quite right at that moment. She looked up into his face, which was mere inches away from her own. She could feel one of his arms still holding her around the waist while another ran through her hair softly.  
  
"Why?" Tidus whispered to her. Yuna could feel his warm breath on her skin. "We were having fun, weren't we?" he said softly, his face leaning down once more.  
  
Yuna pushed him away then. She looked at him in frustration. "What's wrong with you? You're not usually like this," she whispered.  
  
She watched as his mouth slowly curved into a smile before chuckling softly. "I'm not?" he asked.  
  
Yuna looked down at her boots, refusing to meet his stare. "No, you don't act like this."  
  
Silence.  
  
She looked up at him this time, her eyes narrowing. "It's like you've changed."  
  
His eyes shot up and met her own. Before Tidus could reply, she had walked out of the archway, the soft splash of the water hitting his face a bit as she stepped through the waterfall and outside again.  
  
He smirked and followed her as well.  
  
Climbing up the small slope to the main pathway again, he barely caught a glimpse of her skirt as it fluttered around the corner. He ran to catch up with her.  
  
"Yuna! Wait!" he called to her.  
  
But she didn't stop.  
  
He quickened his jog until he finally caught up to her. Reaching out to grab a hold of her arm, he stopped her in her steps as she turned to face him.  
  
He took a moment to catch his breath. "I'm sorry," Tidus spoke to her, eyes looking down. A gentle breeze suddenly caused her skirt to ruffle softly.  
  
Yuna paused and studied him carefully, but said nothing.  
  
She saw him look up to meet her gaze. Yuna couldn't help but smile at him. Perhaps she had overreacted back there. After all, he was only trying to get closer to her. She reached out and hugged him gently before she felt his arms come around her as well.  
  
"You're forgiven," she spoke with a small laugh.  
  
***  
  
"Buddy!!!!" the Al Bhed roared, stomping through the airship's corridors until he entered the crew's quarters, finding Buddy sleeping on the bed.  
  
"Get up! Get up!!!!" Brother yelled again, running to the bedside and shaking the other man frantically.  
  
Buddy bolted up from his nap in alarm. His eyes landed on the other Al Bhed. "What the hell are you yelling for?" he exclaimed, irritated at having been awoken.  
  
Brother threw his arms up into the air and jumped up in frustration. He held a sphere in his right hand and was waving it frantically. "You see this? I watched Yuna earlier!"  
  
The other Al Bhed sighed and flopped back down on the bed and raised an arm to cover his eyes. "Yeah, so what else is new?" he grumbled.  
  
"No, no, no, no!!!" Brother exclaimed. He stopped jumping and suddenly turned serious. "Yuna and Tidus looked like they were having a - how do you say..a argument," Brother spoke, struggling to find his words. He was speaking more English as the days went on, and was improving at great speed.  
  
Buddy paused. "Yeah, so what? It's normal right?"  
  
"No, this was not normal," Brother answered, pacing around the room. He stopped and faced Buddy, holding up the sphere. "Do you want to see it?"  
  
"Fine, let's have a look then," Buddy replied, surrendering to Brother's antics. What was the big deal about Yuna having a small argument with him?  
  
Walking over to Buddy, the other Al Bhed sat down next to him and held the sphere up. Buddy recognized it as a recording from one of Shinra's old CommSpheres.  
  
"Hey, where exactly did you record this at?" Buddy asked slowly.  
  
Brother sighed and hung his head down. "It's the sphere that is placed near the waterfall and the bridge," he answered, turning on the sphere so they could watch the contents.  
  
The screen was fuzzy, but the contents were still clear enough. First it only showed the scene with the waterfalls, not a single bird or animal in sight. Suddenly Buddy's eyes blinked as Yuna came running onto the screen. She had emerged from somewhere that was underneath the sphere's view. Continuing to walk fast, she was suddenly stopped by Tidus, who grabbed her arm as she turned to face him.  
  
It was then that Buddy saw that Brother had zoomed in during this. The two were still quite far from the sphere's range, but now Buddy could see them closely.  
  
"Ok, ok. Watch this part carefully," Brother said with an accent, looking closely at the sphere.  
  
Buddy leaned in as well and watched with curiosity. For some reason the screen had cleared up considerably and they could now see the picture better. It showed Yuna suddenly moving in to hug Tidus before his arms came around her as well. Buddy froze at the sight as his mouth opened slightly.  
  
As his arms had come up around Yuna, there was a bright glow that had shot out from his body, causing his entire form to take on a frightening liquid-looking, metallic appearance before showing the distinct colors of his face and clothing once again, as if the moment had never happened. The flash on Tidus' body had only lasted a brief moment, yet Buddy had seen it all clearly, and the sphere had caught it all. He felt his breath catch at the sight.  
  
The Al Bhed turned to face Brother.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Buddy asked in disbelief as Brother turned off the sphere with a click.  
  
The other Al Bhed hung his head and raised his hand up to his chin. "I do not know, but it does not feel right," he said.  
  
***  
  
"Hey, you two! What's up?" the man spoke.  
  
Yuna smiled at him. "Hi, Wakka."  
  
Wakka laughed and walked over to them. He eyed them both up and down, a sly grin appearing on his face. "Why are you two all wet?" the older man asked with a chuckle.  
  
Yuna laughed nervously. "Uh, we were um.."  
  
"We got wet by the waterfall," Tidus interrupted, his voice amazingly even.  
  
Wakka narrowed his eyes and his voice took on a playful tone. "Ohhh. And what were you two kids doing there, hm?" he asked, causing a slight tinge of pink to appear on Yuna's cheeks.  
  
"Nothing, nothing!" she protested, waving her hands at the gesture.  
  
The older man simply laughed. "Ah, well me and Lu were going to take Vidina down to the beach today. Y'know. To let him see what the waters are like."  
  
Yuna turned her head curiously. "But Wakka, he's only a baby!"  
  
Wakka laughed again. "Don't worry, we're not taking him swimming! Just to take him there, ya?"  
  
"Oh," Yuna laughed. "That sounds like fun."  
  
Lulu suddenly emerged out of the hut carrying the baby and a small basket. She smiled to the two of them and walked out to meet them.  
  
"Hello everyone," Lulu spoke, her voice soft.  
  
Yuna smiled at the woman. "Hi, Lulu."  
  
Wakka smiled at Lulu and began to head toward the direction of the village exit.  
  
"Well guys, we gotta get going. You behave now, ya?" Wakka suddenly spoke, bending down to get the basket from Lulu's hand as the couple began to walk out of the village.  
  
Yuna waved after them. "Bye! Have fun!" she said.  
  
***  
  
Buddy walked down the hallway heading towards the engine room. He had been thinking about what they had seen in the sphere, when faint voices suddenly caught his attention.  
  
Slowing his steps, he peaked around the corner and saw Paine and Rikku whispering something quietly to each other. They must have finished speaking to Baralai and had returned to the airship. Curious, he stopped to listen in, hoping to discover why they were traveling around the world without Yuna.  
  
"I'm glad Baralai was able to help us a little," Rikku spoke.  
  
"Yeah, he cleared up a few things," Paine agreed.  
  
Buddy watched as the warrior walked a little toward his direction. He pulled himself out of her sight and continued to listen.  
  
"But Paine, it still doesn't answer how exactly we help Yunie," Rikku spoke quietly. Buddy heard her sigh.  
  
"I know, Rikku. But now that we know that she's in trouble, we can help her."  
  
"Will she be mad that we found out about it?" Rikku asked worriedly.  
  
"Why would she? After all, I don't think she even knows that the presence of both of them is more dangerous than ever now," Paine answered. She walked toward the Al Bhed.  
  
"Rikku, listen. We need to tell Yuna about what we know," Paine began.  
  
The other girl looked up and met deep ruby eyes.  
  
"If we don't, Shuyin's presence might be strong enough to take over Tidus' body if the two of them ever come into contact."  
  
Buddy leaned back against the wall and suppressed a gasp.  
  
** End of Chapter 9 **  
  
A/N: Just like I promised, Chapter 9 was released today. ^^ I hope the plot is a little more clear now for some people. =)  
  
Chapter 10 will be out very soon! 


	10. Revealed

A/N: I'm looking forward to what events are going to happen in this chapter, and probably because of the fact that the story is going to pick up from this moment on. =p  
  
Well, I don't really have much else to say, except once again I thank everyone who has reviewed, and to those who have remained loyal to sticking around and reading my story. I don't know if some of you already know this, but you guys are the main reason why I continue with the story. At first it was just an attempt to see where I could take things with writing my own rendition of an FFX-2 sequel, but since everyone has enjoyed the story so far, I'm going to give you guys what you want. ^_^  
  
A big thank you to everyone.  
  
** Chapter 10 **  
  
"Hey you! Move your ass!" Gippal exclaimed at the large animal. The animal simply groaned as it continued to paddle across. He was feeling rather touchy that day, and the fact that the shoopuf would not move any faster caused the man to frown. Gippal sighed to himself in defeat. He could have easily taken another route to get to the other side of the Moonflow, but Nooj had simply said that there was no other way to get to the other side. He turned to the other man who was standing opposite him.  
  
"Ah, Nooj. Why'd we have to take this damn thing anyway?" Gippal asked, one hand resting on the side of his hip.  
  
"I told you. There's no other way to get there."  
  
Gippal waved a hand through the air. "It'd be easier to get there with a machina."  
  
The other man regarded him through his glasses. "Yes, but there are no machina here."  
  
Gippal paced around the small enclosure they were riding in and brushed off the other man's smart reply. He decided to change the subject. "Hey, Noojster."  
  
The other man lifted his walking stick and struggled to turn to face Gippal. "What is it?"  
  
"So what'd LeBlanc say back there?" Gippal asked, motioning back towards the Moonflow and Guadosalam. The two men had just left that area since Nooj had some matters he claimed he needed to settle in Guadosalam.  
  
Nooj turned back around the looked down into the water below them. "She said that she was glad I came back safely and that she was planning to pay a visit to Yuna," the man replied slowly, almost regretting that he had told Gippal the first part.  
  
Gippal paused as a grin slid on his face. He walked over to Nooj and gently elbowed him, smiling as the other man turned around startled.  
  
"Heeeeyy. What's the deal with you and her anyway?" Gippal asked with a sly grin, looking out at Nooj with his good eye. He couldn't help but question the other man about it. The topic was something he never imagined could happen.  
  
Nooj brushed Gippal off and walked to the other side, his heavy feet echoing on the hollow surface. He turned and looked at Gippal once more.  
  
"That's something that doesn't concern you," Nooj simply said, causing the Al Bhed to open his mouth in shock.  
  
"Aw, c'mon, man! It's not like it's such a big deal or anything, right?"  
  
"So where are we going now?" Nooj suddenly spoke up, completely changing the subject.  
  
Gippal pointed a finger at Nooj. "Hey, don't go changing the subject on me now!"  
  
Nooj looked out at the horizon, the surface of the other side of the Moonflow taking form. They were almost to the surface. Turning back to look at the other man, he shook his head in amusement.  
  
"To Bevelle then. Perhaps we should pay a short visit to Baralai to ensure everything is at peace for good," Nooj declared, seating himself down.  
  
Gippal sighed and sat down as well, convinced that there was no way to get it out of Nooj. "Fine, fine. Whatever."  
  
***  
  
Yuna let her body fall down with a soft thud, as the pillows on the bed bounced lightly upon her impact. Tidus raised an eyebrow at her in amusement. The sun peeked in through the small window in the hut, casting a soft orange glow upon her face. She let her eyelids flutter close in exhaustion. She suddenly heard him chuckle.  
  
"It's only sunset and you're already tired?" he asked, seating himself at the edge of the bed.  
  
"It's been a long day..." Yuna sighed. She noticed that she was starting to grow tired easily as the days went on. Yuna couldn't help but suspect that there was something not quite right about herself. Her eyes drifted around until they paused at the entrance, as if she suddenly realized something. "I haven't seen Rikku or Paine at all today," she said softly, turning on her side to face Tidus.  
  
He said nothing, but the name of the second person Yuna had mentioned caught his attention, as he remembered something about the name. She noticed his troubled expression, a hint of unease showing itself in his blue eyes.  
  
"What's wrong? It looks like you're thinking about something else," Yuna asked softly, moving over so she could see his face clearly.  
  
"No, it's nothing. Don't worry about me," he replied calmly, expression completely neutral.  
  
Yuna blinked at him, her mind thinking of other matters. Sighing to herself a bit, she let her back rest against the blankets and lay her head down on the pillows. Something in the back of her mind was telling her that there was something that had changed in her relationship with Tidus. Although it pained her to admit that he really hadn't been acting like himself lately, she still refused to acknowledge it with finality. Instead, she pretended as if there was nothing wrong, yet that was a lie and she knew it. There was something different about him - something she just couldn't put a finger on.  
  
She noticed that there were times when he'd acted cold around her, completely losing that warmth she had always felt whenever they were together. Yuna stopped for a moment. Perhaps there was a way to test him. Perhaps there was some way to see if Tidus really was different. She nodded her head a bit to herself and decided that she would test him that night when they slept. Even to her, it seemed foolish to test him, yet she couldn't just ignore the troubling feeling that welled up inside her.  
  
He suddenly stood up, snapping her out of her thoughts. Her eyes followed Tidus as he walked towards the doorway.  
  
"Where are you going?" Yuna asked.  
  
He seemed to fumble with his words for a moment before replying. "Uh, I'm sorry Yuna. But I'll be back in a moment."  
  
She looked after his retreating back as he slipped out of the hut and into the now dark night. Hugging a pillow tightly to her chest, Yuna sighed. Her mind was exhausted from the day's activities and from thinking about him. Yuna almost laughed aloud at how cruel fate sometimes was. Yes they had given Tidus back to her, yet why was he suddenly like this? Pulling the blanket over herself, she let her eyes close and decided to retire early for the night.  
  
***  
  
"Who is it?" Baralai asked, as he heard two quick and short knocks on the large doors.  
"Hey, Baralai! Open up! It's us," Baralai heard Gippal's voice say.  
  
Smiling a bit to himself, he walked over to the door and opened it, seeing the two forms of Gippal and Nooj standing there.  
  
"Good evening you two," Baralai greeted.  
  
"Hey man. What's up?" Gippal said as he entered the room and hit Baralai playfully on the shoulder, as was his habit to do so as a sign of his greeting.  
  
Baralai smiled at Gippal and nodded his head to Nooj as the other man entered as well, the soft clinks of his metal stick making the sound as he walked in.  
  
Shutting the door behind them, Baralai turned to face them. He smiled and motioned towards the table.  
  
"So what brings you two here this late in the evening?" Baralai asked, taking a seat in the chair. Gippal and Nooj sat down as well in opposite chairs from Baralai.  
  
"My apologies for arriving so late, Baralai," Nooj began. His eyes drifted over to Gippal. "It was partly his fault that we were late."  
  
Gippal gaped wide-eyed at Nooj. "What?!"  
  
Baralai let out a soft chuckle as he watched his two friends. "It's quite all right. I wasn't doing much around here anyway," he admitted with a small grin.  
  
"Geez, you're right. What IS there to do around here these days?" Gippal said. He sighed and picked up a short dagger that was lying on the table. Picking it up to twirl it through his fingers, Gippal spoke lazily. "Well me and Noojster were at LeBlanc's today. Nothing special goin' on there though."  
  
Baralai turned to Nooj. "Really? Was there a problem down at Guadosalam? Is that why you went?"  
  
Nooj shook his head a bit and turned away. "No, there were no problems there. LeBlanc did mention that she was planning to visit Yuna soon, however," Nooj explained solemnly.  
  
Baralai paused at the mention of Yuna's name. Hiding his frown from the other two, he forced a reassuring smile on his face. "Hm, perhaps we should accompany LeBlanc and visit Yuna and the others as well," Baralai suddenly offered. A part of him wanted to see what Paine and Rikku had revealed to him earlier. He was anxious to see what this "dream of the fayth" looked like.  
  
Gippal rested his head on his arms, leaning back in the chair. "Sure. It'll be fun to tease Cid's girl again," the Al Bhed laughed, remembering what amusement he got whenever he annoyed Rikku.  
  
"It's settled then. We leave tomorrow," Nooj said.  
  
Baralai nodded in agreement, and imagined how their encounter would be. If Paine and Rikku were right about him, Baralai wanted to see for himself.  
  
***  
  
Yuna awoke to the gentle shaking of someone's hand on her shoulder. She turned around and opened her eyes, adjusting them in the darkness. Her eyes squinted up and met deep blue orbs.  
  
"Sorry if I woke you, but I just wanted to apologize about earlier," Tidus whispered to her, sitting down on the edge of the bed.  
  
She scooted her body over so that he could climb into bed as well. Smiling up at him, she lifted up the covers as he stepped in to join her. As he moved to get more comfortable, Yuna paused as she waited to make her move to test him. Another moment of nothing passed before she sighed in relief. His arms had moved around her, confirming that he was still himself...  
  
Tidus suddenly stopped moving as Yuna began to feel his warmth spread around them both, the steady sound of his heartbeat calming her for the moment. Slowly letting her eyes flutter shut, she couldn't help but feel that it was still not enough. She decided to test him one last time.  
  
Turning herself around in his arms, she gently raised a hand to shake him gently under the covers. She watched as his blue eyes cracked open at her. Putting on a small smile, she whispered to him.  
  
"Hey, do you remember two years at the spring?" Yuna began, studying his expression very closely.  
  
He didn't meet her gaze yet nodded slowly.  
  
She continued on, reaching under the blankets to find his fingers so they could lock with her own. She felt that he was still wearing his gloves.  
  
"Remember what you said to me that night?" Yuna spoke softly. She watched as his eyes drifted down to meet hers. "Those were the words that had kept me going in the two years that you were gone," she suddenly said.  
  
"Ah, y-yes I remember them," she heard Tidus say after a moment of silence had passed.  
  
Yuna smiled inwardly to herself. She smiled gently at him as well, raising her hand to graze his face softly. "I know it sounds strange, but could you say them to me again?"  
  
She felt him freeze a little in her touch. Pretending that she hadn't noticed it, she continued on, undaunted.  
  
"You told me 'not until the end...'" Yuna began, waiting for him to finish her words.  
  
Tidus said nothing and the silence between them was almost deafening.  
  
Yuna paused. Looking into his eyes, she saw that he had refused to meet her gaze. Instead, he was looking away at a place in the room she couldn't see. Coming to a conclusion, she raised her head to place a kiss on his cheek, deliberately avoiding his lips. Although she had seen that he thought she was going to kiss him on the lips, she shrugged it off.  
  
"It's late. Let's just rest now and forget everything," Yuna whispered to him, turning away from him then. She moved so that her back was to him and that she was sleeping on her side.  
  
A moment of silence passed before she heard Tidus speak. "Yuna, I-" he began, but her voice cut him off.  
  
"Sssh. It's ok. Let's sleep now," Yuna interrupted.  
  
She heard him sigh behind her before feeling one of his arms slowly slide around her waist, pulling her body close to his.  
  
Yuna frowned to herself in the darkness, the feeling of his arm around her deeply bothering her.  
  
***  
  
Paine lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. What time was it anyway? Oh, who cared? There were more important things on her mind. Turning herself over in the darkness, she called out to Rikku who was in the other bed.  
  
"Rikku, you awake?" Paine whispered in the dark.  
  
She heard the Al Bhed move in her bed, before Paine saw Rikku sit up, her small form silhouetted in the moonlit room.  
  
"Paine? Did you call me?" Rikku whispered back.  
  
The warrior sighed and threw her blankets off, sitting up in her bed. "Sorry to wake you, Rikku. But I just couldn't sleep."  
  
The two had arrived back at Besaid Village shortly after sunset. After speaking to Baralai about the current situation, Paine couldn't help but feel a bit guilty that they had told him about what had been going on with Yuna. Yet her guilt had all passed now, and Paine was deeply bothered about Yuna's safety, which she knew was far more important. Where was she anyway?  
  
"Paine, don't worry. I saw Yuna and Tidus enter their hut earlier tonight. She's with him, so don't worry, okay?" Rikku spoke up, trying to comfort the other woman. The Al Bhed suddenly released a soft yawn.  
  
"Rikku. There's something that's bothering me. If Shuyin has come back, then where the hell is he? Why hasn't he appeared yet?" Paine whispered, her frustration getting the best of her.  
  
The Al Bhed frowned in the darkness and hugged her pillow close to herself. "I don't know, Paine. It's not like we want him to show up or anything...right?" Rikku replied, concern evident in her voice.  
  
Paine sighed and leaned back on her pillow. "That's what's bothering me, Rikku. He hasn't appeared yet, which makes me wonder where he is right now, and when he'll make his move."  
  
"I'm worried too..." Rikku whispered to herself.  
  
***  
  
The soft warmth of the morning sun touched her face, its golden rays throwing off gentle beams on her hair as a calm breeze snuck in the flaps of the shelter.  
  
Yuna turned herself over, her mind playing in that area that lay between dreams and being awake. She suddenly felt a soft hand shaking her shoulder.  
  
"Yunie, are you awake?" a soft voice whispered to her.  
  
She looked up and met the green swirls of Rikku's eyes. Yuna smiled up at her cousin. "Good morning," she softly said.  
  
Feeling the warm body next to her stir as well, Yuna heard Tidus mumble something quietly before she felt his arm slide around her once more.  
  
Rikku eyed them both and suppressed a sly smile. "Sorry to wake you guys, Paine asked me to come over here and invite you guys on the Celsius with us. She wanted to leave early to go somewhere," Rikku explained.  
  
Yuna yawned and rubbed her eyes gently, moving herself into a sitting position. The events of the previous night came flooding back to her and a serious expression appeared on her face. She turned her attention to her cousin, who was patiently waiting for her answer.  
  
"Ok, Rikku. We'll meet you two on the airship in a bit," Yuna replied, throwing her blanket off and climbing out of bed.  
  
She heard Tidus speak right then.  
  
"Oh, we're leaving early today?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, Rikku and Paine are expecting us on the airship."  
  
"Ok then, Yunie. We'll be waiting for you on the Celsius, so don't be late," Rikku told them, heading out towards the exit.  
  
When the Al Bhed was gone, Yuna bent down and pulled on her boots, as she felt the other side of the bed tilt down as he stood up as well.  
  
Strapping on her side skirt and securing her belt around her waist, Yuna's eyes scanned the room for her guns. She slid her eyes over to Tidus, and she saw that he had his back to her. As she finally spotted the two guns sitting in the corner of the floor, Yuna bent down and equipped them as well.  
  
***  
  
Stepping out of the hut, she turned to wait for him. As he finally poked his head out of the flaps as well, he moved over to walk beside her, the soft sound of gravel crunching under their boots as they headed toward the Celsius.  
  
They walked side by side, neither holding the other's hand. Yuna shrugged it off, yet a small voice in her head was telling her that he was becoming more distant with her as the days went by. What had happened to him?  
  
Suddenly stopping in her steps, there was something she just needed to get off her chest. Taking a small breath to gather her thoughts, she turned to face Tidus.  
  
He regarded her with a look of confusion. "Is something the matter?"  
  
Yuna shook her head, and studied his face carefully. "Do you remember when I told you about Shuyin and Lenne?"  
  
His step faltered as his gaze locked on hers. Yuna watched him in curiosity, wondering why he suddenly looked strange.  
  
As she watched him and waited for him to speak, she suddenly saw a small pyrefly float from his left arm, the unmistakable light rising up before her very eyes, as the glow reflected on his face. Yuna stared as his eyes suddenly looked as if they were in pain, and he dropped down to his knees, clutching his head in agony while gasping for breath.  
  
Yuna stared down at Tidus wide-eyed, her hands trembling as she watched him. Reaching a hand out to him, she was startled as he slowly raised his eyes to meet hers, the warmth in them now turning cold. She gasped and snatched her hand back.  
  
He looked up at her, his gasps slowing down as he began to speak to her. "Y-Yuna. I-it's me...help me..." she heard him struggle to say. One of his gloved hands came up to clutch his forehead in agony as he remained on his knees, the morning breeze blowing his feathery hair in front of his eyes.  
  
Yuna continued to stare at him, frozen still as she tried to understand what was happening to him. Fighting back her fear, one trembling hand grasped the objects at her waist as her hands slowly raised them up at him.  
  
"W-who are you??!!" Yuna screamed at Tidus, clutching both guns in her hands until her knuckles turned white. She fought to stop her trembling hands as she pointed her dual guns at him, hating herself for doing so.  
  
She watched as he slowly stood up and brushed himself off, as if what she had just seen had never happened. His eyes rose to meet hers, the expression on his face completely neutral. Yuna gasped as he smirked at her and ran a hand through his hair casually.  
  
"So, you finally figured me out."  
  
** End of Chapter 10 **  
  
A/N: Ah, so that ends it for now. I'm looking forward to writing Chapter 11, since this is where the high points of the plot begin.  
  
Again, thank you everyone for sticking with me! ^^ 


	11. Sun Shower

A/N: Ah, Christmas. The day was great overall, and I received gifts I never thought people would give me. ^^; The family get-together was also fun. I've been working on the story on and off, so here we go. I know many of you have been waiting for this one, but I'm hoping to make Chapter 12 or 13 the peak of the story.  
  
Ok, here we go! ^^  
  
** Chapter 11 **  
  
The air seemed to halt all around them as Yuna stared into his face with a mixture of fear and disbelief. Tidus smirked at her as his eyes watched her every expression. He stood straight and tall, both his arms held out at his sides, as he suddenly took a step towards her.  
  
A small voice echoed in the back of her mind.  
  
"Don't be afraid, Yuna."  
  
She shook her head, trying to ignore the voice that she had heard right then. 'What was that voice?'  
  
"Yes, Yuna. Recognize me?" his voice asked, taking another step towards her.  
  
Yuna raised a hand to her mouth, a look of fear crossing her face as she took a step backwards. Her eyes darted around the village, seeing if any of the villagers were awake to see them. But there was no one. Besides, the villagers wouldn't think anything of it. He was still himself on the outside. They were all alone now. She looked at him again, seeing him standing before her.  
  
"I told you we'd meet again. The boy was too weak to fight me off," he spoke in amusement.  
  
Yuna felt a weight in her hands as she remembered that she was still clutching her guns. Eyes blazing with fury, she raised the guns at him again, crossing them over each other as she held them steady this time, her hands no longer shaking.  
  
"Shuyin, get out of him now!!"  
  
He laughed, Shuyin's voice completely taking over the voice Yuna once knew.  
  
"It's actually quite amusing," Shuyin spoke, voice sounding too much like his. He waved a gloved hand through the air as he slowly walked towards her. It was Shuyin's voice speaking from his body. Yuna shivered at the sight. He continued to speak, his voice low and threatening.  
  
"Everyone thought I was him. They never suspected a thing from me," Shuyin laughed. "Of course I've pretended I was him for a few days now." He smiled darkly at her. "Even you. It was quite amusing to know that you were not aware I was so close to you. Even when we slept in the same bed-"  
  
"That's enough," Yuna cut him off, her voice shaking slightly. With her hands still holding the guns, she summoned up her courage and took a step towards him, still pointing her weapon at him. "It's me you want, right?" she asked slowly.  
  
He stared at her some more before looking down at the ground chuckling lightly, the chain and pendant around his neck jangling with his movements.  
  
"Yes, but I thought it would be fun to see what it was like to be him for a while. To think that's he's actually really ME! Amusing, isn't it?" Shuyin laughed.  
  
Yuna froze, dropping her arms to her sides as she stared at him in shock.  
  
"W-What did you say?" her voice asked quietly.  
  
Shuyin stopped laughing and regarded her with cold blue eyes. "That's right. I speak the truth. He is really ME."  
  
Yuna shielded her eyes as a fierce gust of wind blew right at that moment, making the sand beneath her feet come up in a cloud of dust. As the dirt cleared, he still stood there, continuing to smirk at her through his eyes.  
  
"Heeeyyy!!! Yunie!! Hurry up, will ya?" a female voice suddenly called from behind her.  
  
Yuna spun around quickly, seeing the familiar yellow form of her cousin running towards her from the dirt trail outside the village.  
  
"R-Rikku?!" Yuna gasped. She watched her cousin's expression. Rikku was smiling at her with a confused expression wondering why they were late.  
  
"Hey! What's taking you guys so long?" Rikku asked, her eyes darting between him and Yuna slowly. A confused expression crossed the girl's features. "I-Is something wrong?" Rikku asked hesitantly when she noticed the troubled expression on her cousin's face.  
  
"Nothing is wrong. Sorry for the delay," Yuna heard Shuyin's voice speak from behind her. Her eyes followed him as he walked over to Rikku and began to exit the village.  
  
Rikku looked after him then back at Yuna, who was standing there motionless. "Well Yunie, what're we waitin' for? Let's go already! Paine's waiting on the airship," the Al Bhed said.  
  
Yuna stood her ground for another moment, watching Rikku run off after him and towards the airship. Her legs felt weak as she took a shaky step towards the direction they went off to. Finally steadying herself and snapping out of her shock, she sprinted after them, the wind blowing her hair fiercely.  
  
'You can't get away with this, Shuyin. They'll all find out about you once I tell them.'  
  
***  
  
"You're late, Yuna."  
  
She entered the bridge area, eyes never leaving his back. He walked slightly ahead of her and when he turned to face her, she saw him smirk. Yuna barely heard Paine's words. Instead, her expression was serious and she watched Shuyin carefully, their eyes never leaving each other's.  
  
"Alright ladies. Where to?" Yuna heard Buddy's voice ask from the pilot seat.  
  
"Zanarkand," Paine replied, her voice even. The warrior's ruby eyes were locked on Yuna, wondering why the girl was looking so serious.  
  
Yuna managed to hear this and she looked at Paine in confusion. "What? Zanarkand? Why there?"  
  
Paine said nothing, but turned her back to them all, a troubled expression evident on her face. Rikku looked between Yuna and Paine with unease.  
  
"Uh, you'll see Yunie," Rikku replied in place of Paine. The Al Bhed walked over to the stairs and sat down, trying to avoid her cousin's stare.  
  
Yuna paused, a sudden realization occurring to her. 'Zanarkand. Maybe the answer lies there.' Her eyes drifted over to "Shuyin," who was staring back at her intensely, yet she noticed his expression was no longer cold. Rather, it seemed like his mind was elsewhere. Yuna frowned when she caught a small smile on his face, right as his eyes drifted over to lock on hers.  
  
Her eyes darted around to look at Paine and Rikku. They didn't seem like they knew anything was wrong here. They both thought Shuyin was him. Yuna frowned and started for the steps. She knew it was unwise to leave Shuyin alone with them, but being there with him watching her so closely started to anger her. After all, Shuyin was inside him and Yuna could not handle that fact.  
  
With Rikku's eyes following her, she mumbled a short apology and left the bridge towards the elevator, hoping no one would follow her. For now anyway, she needed to think of a plan before the airship arrived to Zanarkand.  
  
***  
  
"You sure we aren't too early?" Gippal asked, tucking his gun away from the previous battle with the fiends.  
  
"No, I think it's fine," Nooj replied.  
  
"The village doesn't seem to be awake yet," Baralai observed thoughtfully, his eyes scanning the huts. The village remained quiet as a gentle breeze caused his collar to ruffle gently. He straightened it once again.  
  
"Hm, so which hut is there's?" Gippal asked, heading towards the nearest hut. He looked back at the other two for a response.  
  
"Well we don't want to disturb any of the villagers here," Baralai replied. Taking a step towards the village center, he observed the nearby huts carefully before spotting one in the back, a dog sleeping outside the entrance. He faintly recognized the dog as Yuna's pet. Baralai remembered that the dog had fought alongside Yuna when the girls had first fought him.  
  
"Over there," Baralai pointed, as Nooj and Gippal's gazes spotted the shelter.  
  
Gippal scratched the back of his head as the trio began heading in the direction. "Hm? How do you know?"  
  
Baralai chuckled softly at the other man's confused expression. "I remember seeing Yuna with the dog a while back," he replied, motioning to the animal sleeping at the door.  
  
"Good, let's go then," Nooj said, his stick scraping the ground softly as they walked over to the doorway of the hut.  
  
"So, we just go in?" Gippal offered when they were all standing outside the door.  
  
"I suppose so, but don't you think it's-" Baralai began but was cut off when Nooj walked over to the entrance. Pulling back the flaps slowly he poked his head in. After a moment, he looked back at the other two.  
  
"It appears that no one is home," Nooj said.  
  
***  
  
Yuna sat on the deck of the Celsius, her eyes staring out into the horizon. Her hair flapped in the wind, slightly soaked from the rain that had begun to fall outside. Her clothes were damp as well, yet she didn't care.  
  
Looking up at the sky, she saw the sun peeking out from behind the white clouds, even if it was raining. The water fell down around her in a brilliant shimmer of light, the sunlight reflecting in the raindrops. The sound of the airlock behind her opened suddenly. Startled, she turned around to face the person when she heard footsteps approach her.  
  
"Is there a reason why you left us down there?" she heard a male voice ask, walking over to her. She spotted him. The rain fell on him as well, causing his hair to fall limply because of the water.  
  
Yuna turned her face away, still angry and frustrated at his presence. She hugged her knees tightly to her chest and kept her eyes ahead as the soft sound of the rain beat down on the metal surface of the airship.  
  
She saw him sit down next to her out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"What do you want?" she finally asked, her face still turned away from him.  
  
He said nothing, but she promptly felt his gloved hand grasp her chin gently, turning her to face him. Tiny droplets of water ran down his face, the hair on his head wet as well. She kept her eyes turned to the side, refusing to look at him in the eye. She couldn't bring herself to look into his face; the same face that she had wished for that day on the Farplane Glen. 'Even if he's Tidus on the outside, he's not. He's Shuyin deep down.'  
  
"You know - there's nothing you can do. Even if you tell them, it's not going to change anything," Yuna heard him speak softly, interrupting her thoughts.  
  
Her eyes flew to his. "What does he have to do with any of this? He's not the one you want!" Yuna exclaimed at him, the sparkling rain continuing to fall all around them.  
  
Shuyin laughed. "That's where you are mistaken. You shall soon see. Once we reach Zanarkand, you will see."  
  
Yuna froze at his words. "Wh-what do you mean?" she heard herself whisper, tearing her eyes away from his once more.  
  
He stopped laughing and regarded her with a solemn stare. "That's because Zanarkand is the place where everything is connected to."  
  
"Connected to?" she echoed in disbelief after a moment of silence had passed between them.  
  
She saw him scoot closer to her, a hand raising itself to stroke the side of her face gently. His face neared hers so that it was directly next to her ear. He whispered to her, warm breath teasing her skin.  
  
"I acknowledge your skill in finding out I wasn't him, yet do you know who Tidus really is?" Yuna heard him whisper softly, breath warm. She narrowed her eyes.  
  
"I-I don't-" Yuna began but was cut off when she felt his tongue gently tease the side of her face. Trying to suppress a shiver, she tried squirming out of his grasp but he held her firmly in place with one of his arms wrapped around her waist.  
  
He smirked at her reaction to his touch, and continued on.  
  
"He's really the dream of ME, and when we reach Zanarkand, both you and him shall help Lenne and I be reborn," Shuyin whispered to her lowly, causing a shiver to run through her body. She froze at his words.  
  
"No..."  
  
***  
  
"Someone come quick! A fayth has appeared at the temple!"  
  
Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal froze and quickly spun around at the voice. A man came running down the temple steps, gasping for breath.  
  
Gippal and Baralai ran ahead of Nooj towards the man, trying to calm him.  
  
"What did you say?" Gippal asked him, his good eye peering out at the man in concern.  
  
The man panted for breath, clutching his chest. "Th-there's a fayth inside the temple! A small child..with a hood.." the man managed to speak.  
  
Nooj looked at the man, his eyebrows knit together in concern. Turning to Baralai and Gippal, he nodded to them.  
  
Baralai saw Nooj's expression and turned to the man. "Sir, we'll go inside the temple and check it," his voice spoke softly.  
  
The man nodded and sat down on the ground. As the trio began to walk up the temple steps, he grasped Gippal's hand suddenly. "Young man, you are an Al Bhed, correct?" he asked, his breath slowly returning.  
  
Gippal paused and chuckled nervously. "Uh, yeah, but it doesn't matter these days anymore, does it?" he asked.  
  
Nooj and Baralai stopped at the top of the steps, waiting for Gippal to follow.  
  
The man smiled after some time. "I suppose you are right. But be careful in there, you hear me?"  
  
"Yessir," Gippal replied, as the man let go of his arm.  
  
***  
  
"Where did they go off to?" Paine asked the Al Bhed.  
  
Rikku looked up from her position on the stairs and looked at Paine with a concerned expression, biting her lip gently. "I think they went out to the deck."  
  
Paine began walking in Rikku's direction but paused, thinking for a moment. "Maybe they just want to be alone. They'll be back later," she said, her decision of going up to the deck changing.  
  
"Paine, can I ask you something?" the Al Bhed suddenly asked, causing Paine's gaze to drift over to her.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Rikku looked away for a moment, her brows knitting together in worry. "Have you...noticed anything strange between those two?" she asked, referring to Yuna and him.  
  
Paine paused, her gaze lingering on Rikku for a moment before finally speaking. "Why, is there something wrong?"  
  
There was another moment of silence from Rikku before she spoke again. "I dunno, Paine. It just seems different."  
  
"Different how?" Paine asked, crossing her arms as she walked over to the girl, now curious in what Rikku was saying.  
  
"It's just that..when I saw them together two years ago on the pilgrimage, they seemed so warm together and it just seemed right. Now...I dunno. It seems like they're uneasy with each other or something," Rikku admitted, her eyes on the ground.  
  
Paine listened to her carefully, thinking over her words. "When did you notice a change?" she asked slowly.  
  
Rikku looked down at her hands. "When I went to go get them before we left earlier, it seemed as if they were having an argument. I ran up to Yunie with a smile, but I knew something was wrong. But it wasn't just then either. I've seen them like that other times too."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Uh, sorry to interrupt, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation," Buddy's voice suddenly interjected from behind Paine. He had left the airship on autopilot to walk over to the girls.  
  
The two girls turned around, seeing the Al Bhed walk over to them.  
  
"Hey Buddy," Rikku spoke, standing up from the steps to meet with him.  
  
"I uh, guess it's time I tell you guys something that's been bothering me for a while now," Buddy said hesitantly.  
  
Paine raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"What is it?" Rikku asked.  
  
They watched as Buddy reached into his pocket and pulled out a sphere. Rikku instantly recognized it as a recording sphere from the CommSphere system.  
  
Paine raised her eyes from the sphere to Buddy. "What's on there?" she asked quietly.  
  
Buddy sighed as he held up the sphere in front of him. "Brother found this the other day. He said he was just looking at the CommSphere near the waterfall on Besaid, when he happened to record a moment between Yuna and..him," the Al Bhed admitted, as if regretting what he was saying.  
  
Rikku raised an eyebrow. "A recording of Yunie and Tidus? So  
what's on it?" she asked, beginning to  
worry because of the Al Bhed's serious tone.  
  
Clicking on the sphere, Buddy held it up for the two girls as the image began to take form.  
  
"I think you two deserve to know what Brother and I saw on this sphere the other day. There's something that happened here that I can't explain-oh wait, here we go! This is it," Buddy began but stopped when Yuna finally ran on the screen.  
  
Paine watched the scene closely. It seemed as if Yuna came from somewhere under the bridge, as if she was running away from something. After another moment, Paine recognized the figure of Tidus walk onto the screen. She watched as he and Yuna stood still for a while before she finally went over to him for an embrace.  
  
"How sweet," Rikku's voice spoke softly, her eyes still on the sphere. "What's the big deal about that?"  
  
"Wait, here it is. Watch him closely," Buddy interrupted, directing their attention towards the man Yuna was hugging.  
  
The two girls watched the scene quietly as the sphere's contents flashed before their eyes, causing both Rikku and Paine to gasp in disbelief.  
  
** End of Chapter 11 **  
  
A/N: I know you must hate me for leaving you on yet another cliffhanger, but I noticed that I've been doing that anyway for a lot of chapters. ^^; I'm looking forward to starting Chapter 12, because it's really going to fulfill the "Action/Adventure" genre of this story now. .  
  
I'll try to have it up soon, ok? Thanks everyone for your reviews. =) 


	12. Confrontation

A/N: It's been so long since I updated! ^^;  
  
But before I begin, I want to reproduce a particular scene that occurs when visiting Logos and Ormi's room during Chapter 2. After the girls watch the key item "Gaol's Sphere" in the room, Maechen shows up out of nowhere and discusses the person in the sphere (Shuyin) with them. There are things he says which adds supplementary information to the story, and I want to share it with everyone first.  
  
** There are spoilers of course, so read only if you have watched the scene already or if you just don't care. =p **  
  
Maechen: "Lady Yuna, a rumor has been going around of late. Perhaps you've heard it. They say that High Summoner Yuna was accompanied by a guardian from, of all places, Zanarkand! Oh, yes, that young man raised quite a few eyebrows at the blitzball tournament in Luca. I spoke to him myself on a number of occasions. I could sense that he belonged to an otherworld.  
  
That he should look so much like the man in that sphere cannot be mere coincidence, I should think."  
  
Yuna: "There's a connection."  
  
Maechen: "There is.  
  
I would very much like the chance to ask him, and clear this matter up once and for all."  
  
Yuna: "But...he's gone. Just like the fayth said. 'Our dream will vanish.'"  
  
Maechen: A dream of the fayth? Is that right... (raises arms in the air as if recalling something)  
  
Oh, my!"  
  
Rikku: (sits up from her position) "What is it?"  
  
Maechen: (shakes head) "I had something on the tip of my tongue. But then it slipped away...Something very important...Oh, frustrating. Well, I suppose I'll just have to think on it a little more. Until then, Lady Yuna. (starts to walk away but stops and faces Yuna once again)  
  
We are all connected. There may yet be a way to reunite with those who have gone."  
  
** Chapter 12 **  
  
"Why do you think a fayth has appeared here?"  
  
"How should I know?" Nooj replied a bit hastily. He was obviously a little tense with the situation.  
  
Baralai turned to Gippal in response to his question. "We'll soon find out."  
  
Gippal chuckled nervously. "Ehe. I guess so, huh?"  
  
The three turned the last corner and found themselves standing outside the Chamber of the Fayth.  
  
Hesitating, Baralai turned to the other two men. Seeing their solemn expressions, he raised a hand to the door and watched as the chamber opened.  
  
As the smoke cleared, a bright orange-yellow light greeted them. Gippal raised a hand to shield his eye.  
  
"Damn, why so bright?" the Al Bhed said softly as they all stepped inside. The smoke still hung heavy in the air.  
  
Nooj and Baralai said nothing but watched as the small form of a fayth suddenly came into view and the smoke cleared; its hood covering the dark shadows of its face. The three stood there motionless, watching as the fayth simply hovered in the air above the old hole below it.  
  
"Uh, aha..." Gippal began, his disbelief getting the best of him - running out of words to say. He scratched his head nervously and turned to the other two, his voice lowering to a whisper. "So what do we do now?" he asked rather loudly even if he had been whispering.  
  
"Quiet," Nooj commanded, watching the fayth closely through his glasses.  
  
Gippal's eyes turned to Baralai, but the silver-haired man had his gaze fixed upon the fayth as well. The Al Bhed turned to look behind him and back at the fayth.  
  
"You have been summoned," the fayth suddenly spoke as Gippal met its gaze. The three men watched as the small child hovered in the air for another moment before landing right in front of them, its feet touching the ground gently. "Although I admit I am rather disappointed that the Lady Yuna herself did not come," the fayth continued.  
  
Nooj's stick hit the ground as he struggled to walk towards the small child. "Yuna?" he asked slowly. Turning his gaze back on the fayth, he pushed a strand of hair away from his eyes. "And why exactly are you here?" Nooj pressed on.  
  
"Nooj, maybe we shouldn't-" Baralai began but was cut off when the fayth's voice interrupted him.  
  
"Say no more. I take it you know Lady Yuna, correct? I seem to remember seeing you three on the Farplane Glen as well..." the child trailed off, as if to find its thoughts once more. It turned its back on the three before speaking again. "Yuna is in trouble."  
  
Gippal's eyes widened at the fayth's sudden bluntness to the situation. The Al Bhed felt a hand graze his shoulder as Baralai pushed his way past him to speak with the fayth.  
  
"What do we do about it?" Baralai whispered, the light casting a glow upon his dark features. Gippal raised an eyebrow at him, wondering why Baralai sounded as if he knew what the fayth was speaking about. He voiced his thoughts.  
  
"Whoa, wait a minute. You mean you know what's going on here?" Gippal asked incredulously, looking back and forth between the silver-haired man and the child. He stared at Baralai with wide eyes.  
  
Nooj looked on as well, his mouth set into a firm line.  
  
"I suppose the truth had to come out some time, right?" Baralai began. He stopped speaking once he saw the frown on Nooj's face.  
  
"What exactly is going on, Baralai?" Nooj asked, his voice stern.  
  
Gippal watched as the silver-haired man shut his eyes slowly, crossing his arms at the same time.  
  
"Paine and Rikku came to me the other day. They told me that Shuyin has come back."  
  
***  
  
Yuna's eyes widened as Shuyin slowly leaned his face closer. She tried to suppress a soft gasp as his lips met hers in a deep kiss. She felt one of his hands come up by her head and no sooner felt his gloved fingers stroking her tresses.  
  
She pushed him away. Seeing the hurt expression in his eyes, she kept her gaze away from his. The kiss had felt too much like that night at the spring, and the painful realization that it was not the same person behind the kiss made Yuna angrier than ever.  
  
Yuna turned her head to look up at him as she saw him stand. He stared down at her, a gentle breeze ruffling his hair while the bright sun reflected in his golden strands. The rain had stopped for the time being, but they were both soaked from the earlier shower. He turned to walk away, a sly smile on his face as a few strands of his hair still hung limply from the water.  
  
She scrambled up after him. Frustrated and angry, she ran and blocked the doorway of the deck, standing her ground. Without hesitating, her hands found the familiar weight of her guns, and she raised them at him. It was an action she found herself doing a lot lately, yet she didn't know what else to do.  
  
He smiled lazily at her, one hand waving through the air. "Hmph. Going to shoot me?"  
  
Yuna said nothing but maintained her position, continuing to point her pistols at him. Her expression remained serious.  
  
He began to walk in her direction until he could feel the ends of her guns touching his chest. Now standing directly in front of her, he leaned down next to her ear, blue orbs darkening.  
  
"Shooting this body will kill him you know," he whispered to her. "...And I'll just find someone else to use."  
  
She gasped softly, hoping he hadn't heard it. The last thing she wanted was to show him that he was winning. She needed to remain strong - for him.  
  
Yuna watched as he simply walked past her, his footsteps echoing against the metal surface. She was expecting to hear the airlock shut again when he left, but heard nothing. Confused, she turned around to look behind her, only to meet the two forms of Paine and Rikku blocking his path. She raised an eyebrow at their presence and made her way over to them, concern showing on her face.  
  
"Paine? Rikku...what are you two doing out here?" Yuna began hesitantly, watching the warrior's expression. Paine kept her eyes fixed upon him and didn't answer her.  
  
Yuna's eyes widened for the third time that day when she saw a flash from the corner of her eye. No sooner had she turned her gaze away, Rikku and Paine had unsheathed their weapons and were pointing it at him, the blade of Paine's sword frighteningly close to his face.  
  
"Hm? You too?" she heard Shuyin speak calmly. Yuna kept her hands clasped in front of her as she witnessed her two friends pointing their weapons at the body of the man she loved. Yet it wasn't him in spirit, and Yuna hesitated.  
  
"We know who you are. Now get the hell out of him," Paine spoke calmly. The warrior's voice seethed with fury.  
  
Yuna froze, her hands falling to her sides in disbelief. Her eyes met Paine's ruby orbs.  
  
"Paine...you two know?" she whispered. Yuna's eyes flickered over to her cousin as well. Rikku met her gaze with a hint of apology and hesitation. "B-but how?" Yuna continued, her gaze drifting back to the warrior.  
  
The three girls suddenly heard him chuckle right then. They all turned to him, Paine and Rikku's weapons still raised.  
  
"Just try it. I'd like to see how he dies," Shuyin's voice spoke darkly.  
  
Paine hesitated, her sword wavering slightly.  
  
Rikku promptly put her weapons down, a look of realization crossing the Al Bhed's face. Her green eyes flew to Paine in alarm.  
  
"Paine, don't! That's what Shuyin wants us to do! We can't hurt him," Rikku said, a small tear leaking from the corner of one eye. Yuna looked on with a frightened expression, her hands trembling. Still clutching her guns, she felt them slip out of her grasp and hit the ground with a loud thud.  
  
The warrior was breathing heavily, perspiration forming on her brow. She clutched the sword's handle tightly as the blade was now mere millimeters from his face. He was simply smirking at her.  
  
"Paine..." Yuna whispered, one hand reaching out to her.  
  
Ruby eyes met green and blue ones, and Paine saw the hurt in her friend's face. Cursing under her breath, she hastily dropped her sword and the weapon fell with a clang on the airship's surface. She fell to her knees in frustration.  
  
"That's right. No matter what you do, you can't win. As long as I stay in this body, you won't touch him and I'll take over his conscience completely," Shuyin spoke calmly, beginning to head towards the airlock once again.  
  
Yuna felt her eyes begin to water as she watched his retreating form. The airlock shut behind him as he left the deck. Biting back her tears and her anger, she ran over to Paine and knelt down to where the warrior had collapsed.  
  
"Paine, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't tell you two," Yuna began. She turned to her cousin. Rikku's face had a solitary tear trail.  
  
"If you would have told us earlier, we could've found a way to stop him."  
  
"But there is no way..." Yuna whispered in defeat. She sat down next to Paine. "He's so cruel. I know he's only Shuyin's shadow, but I wonder how the real Shuyin was like..." Yuna trailed off, her thoughts taking a completely different direction. If only there was some way to reach the real Shuyin...  
  
"Yunie, we're on our way to Zanarkand," Rikku interjected suddenly. "Maybe the answer is there."  
  
Hearing her cousin's words, Yuna promptly remembered what Shuyin had been saying earlier in the rain. "Shuyin said something about that. What's going to happen there?" she asked slowly.  
  
"Huh? What did he say about it?" the Al Bhed asked.  
  
"He said that once we reach Zanarkand, 'we will see,'" Yuna remembered. She stared blankly ahead as Shuyin's voice echoed in her mind.  
  
"What? He can't possibly be thinking of making a move when we reach Zanarkand!" Rikku exclaimed. "That's the only place we can look...right?"  
  
"Yuna, we need to get Shuyin out of Tidus' body now," Paine's voice spoke. Yuna blinked and turned her gaze at her.  
  
"You heard what he said. As long as he remains in his body, none of us can ever touch him. There is no way I could ever hurt him," Yuna spoke softly. Rikku heard her voice tremble.  
  
Reaching a hand to grasp her cousin's, the girl smiled weakly at her. "Yunie, it'll be alright. We'll find a way to save him. I promise."  
  
The Al Bhed's words broke a dam within her. Yuna couldn't hold her tears back any longer. Trying to control a sob, she threw her arms around Rikku and promptly felt the Al Bhed's arms come around her as well.  
  
"Every time I look at him, I can't help but feel angry. I don't want to feel this way anymore!" Yuna spoke. Rikku nodded in understanding, patting Yuna's back gently.  
  
"We need to get him to the Farplane," Paine suddenly interrupted.  
  
Brushing her tears away quickly, Yuna met Paine's gaze.  
  
"The answer lies there. Not in Zanarkand."  
  
***  
  
"What the hell are you talkin' about?!" Gippal exclaimed. Baralai's words had not fully sunken in yet, and the Al Bhed was having a difficult time accepting what was going on.  
  
"Baralai, what did they say?" Nooj asked.  
  
"Paine told me that she witnessed Yuna speaking to the old man about how Shuyin had returned."  
  
"Old man?" Gippal demanded, hands waving in the air.  
  
"Maechen, of course," the fayth's voice interrupted them.  
  
"Hey, what exactly is going on here?" Gippal continued. He faced the child this time.  
  
"If you only knew who he really was, it would be much easier for me to explain," the fayth began slowly. Seeing the blank expression on two of the men's faces, the child continued. "But you don't, do you?"  
  
"Who is? What the hell are you saying, and who are you talking about?" Gippal asked, frustration clear in his voice. He raised a hand to flick away a few unruly strands that fell on his forehead.  
  
"The young man that has returned to Lady Yuna," the fayth said. "To put it simply, Tidus is-or was a dream of ours. We dreamt him from our memories of Zanarkand, and the man that has returned to Yuna is the dream of who Shuyin was in the real Zanarkand."  
  
Gippal and Nooj said nothing, but listened in shocked silence.  
  
"Yes, and from what Paine and Rikku told me, he is here - but they don't know where he is. At least that's what I last heard from them," Baralai spoke quietly. He turned his back to them, lost in thought.  
  
"Ah, but we know where he is," the fayth's voice spoke up. The child's tone worried Nooj and the man decided to question the fayth about it.  
  
"Something tells me it isn't going to be easy to defeat Shuyin this time, am I right?" Nooj asked.  
  
Gippal was fuming. "Just tell us where he is, and I'll show 'im. After the way he got me, I have a reason to return the favor now," the Al Bhed said.  
  
The child sighed. "I'm afraid you are correct. This won't be easy."  
  
"And why's that?" Gippal asked.  
  
Turning its back to them, the fayth continued. "Because as we speak, Shuyin is inside a body that Yuna can never hurt. They are on their way to Zanarkand at this very moment."  
  
"Whose body is Shuyin controlling now?" Nooj spoke hesitantly, already knowing what the answer would be. He just hoped he wasn't right.  
  
The fayth turned to face them but said nothing. The hood continued to cover the dark eyes underneath. As they waited for the fayth to continue, the men slowly began to realize the unspoken answer even if the child did not say it. Gippal watched the fayth and already knew what the answer was too.  
  
"Damn it," the Al Bhed cursed, one of his fists flying and punching a hole in the chamber wall as the three men realized whose body Shuyin was in.  
  
***  
  
"The ship is heading to Zanarkand right now!" Yuna exclaimed suddenly, jumping up. "We need to stop it."  
  
"Tysh..." Rikku whispered. She began pacing around the deck.  
  
Yuna turned to her cousin, knowing Rikku did not normally curse. Laying a hand on her cousin's shoulder, she spoke gently.  
  
"Rikku, I'm sorry to drag you into this...it's my fault."  
  
The girl smiled gently at her cousin then, her eyes soft. "Yunie, I'm with you 'til the very end, ok?" she said. The Al Bhed raised a hand to touch Yuna's hand on her shoulder in a supportive gesture.  
  
Yuna felt a hand rest on her shoulder as well. Before she could turn around, she heard Paine's voice speak.  
  
"Don't leave me out of this one, alright?" the warrior said, a hint of a smile playing on her face.  
  
Turning to face both of them, Yuna smiled brightly and the girls raised their hands up to give each other a five.  
  
Paine smiled as well. After another moment, her expression turned serious.  
  
"Ok, first thing we have to do is get Brother to turn this ship around now. We need to buy some time before we reach-" Paine began but was cut off when a voice spoke through the ship's intercom.  
  
"We've reached Zanarkand! Everybody ready?" Brother's heavily accented voice spoke loudly.  
  
The girls froze at the words and all three pairs of eyes flew to the airlock when it suddenly opened. Yuna saw the flash of yellow.  
  
He stood there casually with his arms crossed. The breeze ruffled his hair and clothing as he stepped out to them.  
  
"Well? Are we going?" Shuyin's voice spoke.  
  
***  
  
"What can we do to help her?" Nooj asked.  
  
The fayth began to float as its feet left the ground. The men watched as the child hovered over the hole to the Farplane once again. Pointing a finger down towards the hole, the fayth spoke.  
  
"You can begin by waiting for them down there," the child said, still pointing down.  
  
"What?! I never thought I'd have to go down there again..." Gippal exclaimed. He raised a hand to his head in disbelief.  
  
"But how do we know that they're going down there anyway?" Baralai asked.  
  
"They will for sure, so you need to be ready to help them," the fayth's voice echoed through the chamber as the child's form began to dissipate.  
  
Gippal sighed as the other two began to walk towards the hole. They looked down into the bright light, pyreflies floating out from the deep depths. Nooj turned to the two and nodded to them.  
  
The bright light cast a glow upon their eyes as Nooj and Baralai jumped in at the same time. Scratching his head, the Al Bhed adjusted his gloves and followed after his two companions.  
  
** End of Chapter 12 **  
  
A/N: Whew, ok. I know some of you were expecting a climactic chapter, but you'll get Part 1 of that in Chapter 13. ^^; Sorry that I took so long to get this one up.  
  
Since I'm busy studying for finals again, and the holidays have ended, it's taking me longer to release the chapters. Also, I played FFX-2 again and got 100% story completion this time. =) There was the perfect ending that I was finally able to watch, and to those who have not seen it, don't worry.  
  
I'll summarize that Perfect Ending scene again in the next chapter for people to read if they choose to, since parts of Chapter 13 revolve around that particular moment.  
  
Til then! ^^ 


	13. Unavoidable Destiny

A/N: Like I said in the previous chapter, I've included the entire scene that shows when you complete FFX-2 with 100%. I've watched this scene many times myself, so here is what happens. This is an important event in the game that I have made a reference to in this chapter, so it's important for the readers to know what I'm referring to.  
  
** CONTAINS SPOILERS, SO READ ONLY IF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS ALREADY OR IF YOU JUST DON'T CARE. =p **  
  
[FFX-2 PERFECT ENDING DIALOGUE (Follows immediately after the 'GOOD ENDING')]  
  
((The scene shows the Zanarkand Ruins at sunset. Tidus is looking out into the horizon.))  
  
Tidus: ((camera moving up)) "I got a theory. I think the fayth gathered up my thoughts and put 'em together to bring me back. Maybe. Something like that."  
  
((The scene switches to Yuna who is watching the sunset as well. Tidus looks down at his gloved hands))  
  
Tidus: "Or maybe...I'm still a dream."  
  
Yuna: ((looking alarmed)) "Wait! So you'll disappear?"  
  
((A short pause))  
  
Tidus: ((Turns to look at Yuna)) "Cherish me, Yuna. And I'll cherish you. All right? We gotta stay together. That's what we have to do." ((smiles at her hopefully and looks out at the horizon again))  
  
((Yuna runs to him and hugs him from behind. They both smile))  
  
Yuna: "Is that what the fayth told you?"  
  
Tidus: "Nah. But I like it."  
  
((The two laugh happily and Yuna suddenly pushes him into the water below, a lighthearted smile on her face))  
  
Tidus: ((wipes the water away from his face)) "That's not cherishing!"  
  
Yuna: ((smiles)) "You didn't disappear."  
  
((They smile at each other once more. The camera pans away slowly to show Yuna standing up on the hill, her back facing us as she looks out at the Zanarkand Ruins much in the same fashion as Tidus did in the beginning of FFX.))  
  
** END **  
  
** Chapter 13 **  
  
The evening sun tossed gentle beams of light upon the ruins of the city, illuminating the once-lifeless structures. As the old metropolis fully came to view, Yuna found herself walking to the edge of the hill once again, the rocks crunching underneath her boots. She felt strange to stand at that same spot again.  
  
"It's beautiful..." she heard herself whisper, eyes sweeping over the vast horizon, as she took in the breathtaking sight. Yuna felt herself sit down right where she was, not caring about anything else at that moment. Many important events had happened here.  
  
She had stood at this very spot with him that day when Tidus had returned to her. As he confessed about his fear that he could disappear again, her heart had skipped a beat when she heard him speak those words. Yet once again, as he had done so many times in the past, he was able to put a smile upon her face. When he had told her that they needed to stay together, Yuna wanted nothing more than to do just that.  
  
'Cherish me...and I'll cherish you...that's what we have to do...' his words echoed.  
  
"I have cherished you - yet... something's not right..." Yuna whispered to herself.  
  
"Yuna, we can't find Shuyin," Paine's voice suddenly spoke, interrupting her thoughts.  
  
"Rikku's already waiting for me down there, so I'm going to meet her later," Paine continued.  
  
Yuna turned around to face her but said nothing. The former summoner's expression held an empty sadness as she met Paine's ruby orbs.  
  
After the Celsius had landed at Zanarkand, the trio had left Shuyin on the deck in a flurry of deafening silence. He didn't seem to be bothered by it either. If anything, he looked rather amused at their open show of unease towards him. Yuna didn't even know why they had gotten off the ship, since they knew Shuyin had something planned.  
  
Yet she couldn't shake off that small voice that echoed in the back of her mind that seemed like it was pushing her to get off the ship. It was the same voice she had heard several times before, and she couldn't help but feel as if there was something at Zanarkand that could possibly help her.  
  
Then, the idea came to her almost as quickly as her foot had touched the ground of the Zanarkand Ruins. The feelings were so strong that Yuna had to catch herself a bit to keep from falling down. Even more disturbing to her was the sudden sensation of fatigue she felt when seeing Zanarkand again, almost as if there was something within her that triggered these feelings.  
  
She noticed that she had felt a little more tired than before, but Yuna had noticed it a lot during the previous night when she had decided to test him. Now she knew why he couldn't answer her questions. No one else could know those answers except for -him-. He wasn't who he looked like on the outside, and that hurt her the most.  
  
But this was it. Everything she had learned from the fayth and Maechen would come into play here, and the only thing she needed to do now was find Shuyin again.  
  
"Yuna..." Paine began again, putting an end to her inward thoughts. Seating herself next to her friend, Paine continued on. "Be careful, alright? I don't think this plan of yours is a very good idea..."  
  
"I know, but it's the only thing that we can do now," Yuna replied solemnly. She looked out into the sunset once more, the early evening breeze warm on her face. It wasn't usually this warm in the Zanarkand Ruins.  
  
"You're sure you want to do this?" Paine asked again, her voice even. Yuna could tell that the warrior was trying to hide the uneasy tone in her voice.  
  
Yuna turned to face Paine fully this time, her expression firm. "I'm sure."  
  
Silence.  
  
Yuna heard Paine shift a little, her boots crunching the small pebbles on the hill they were both sitting on.  
  
After another moment, Paine began to speak once more. "I'm going down. I'll see you there then."  
  
Yuna smiled gently and watched as the other woman stood up and began to walk away.  
  
"Oh, and Yuna," Paine began, turning to pause. Yuna waited for her to continue. "We'll be waiting, ok?" Paine spoke again.  
  
Yuna couldn't help but smile gently. "Right."  
  
But her smile quickly faded as she watched Paine's retreating back. After the warrior was no longer in sight, Yuna stood as well, dusting herself off from the dirt. Taking a deep breath, she began to walk down the slope carefully, watching herself so she wouldn't slip off.  
  
As soon as her feet touched the flat surface, a swarm of pyreflies began to materialize in front of her. Yuna inwardly froze at the thought that it was Shuyin, but that wasn't possible...was it?  
  
"Wait, but he can't turn into pyreflies when he's inside Tidus' body..." Yuna spoke aloud to herself, still watching the pyreflies take shape, their glow illuminating the now dim night. The sun had disappeared in the horizon, leaving only the still tranquility of darkness.  
  
The glow faded and Yuna gasped in joy when she saw the person who stood before her.  
  
***  
  
"Boys! Hurry up!"  
  
"Yes, boss!" the two replied simultaneously, running down the stairs to the living room where Leblanc stood waiting for them.  
  
"Ugh. I just have to visit them. There was no way I could have stayed cooped up in that room all day!" Leblanc declared, waving her fan in time with her words. Her eyes swept over Logos and Ormi.  
  
"Well? Are we leaving or not?" she pressed on, impatience clearly written across her face.  
  
Logos winced. "But Boss, it's already dark out..." he trailed off.  
  
Noticing Leblanc's sudden removed expression, he paused.  
  
Leblanc stared at him for a moment before turning her back to them. "Hm, you don't say..." she muttered to herself.  
  
"Boss, are you okay?" Ormi spoke up, walking over to her.  
  
"Well, I guess we'll just leave tomorrow then," Leblanc declared, spinning on her heel towards the exit.  
  
"Boss! Where are you going?" Ormi asked, worry clearly present on his face.  
  
Leblanc paused, her hand coming up to rest against the side of her face. "Sorry, boys. I'll be back in a moment. There's something I just felt right now...I-I can't explain it..." she said softly, heading out towards the door, her expression troubled.  
  
The two ran after her, but Leblanc stopped them in their tracks when she suddenly spoke up again.  
  
"Don't follow me."  
  
The door shut with a bang as Ormi and Logos were left standing alone in the foyer.  
  
"What's wrong with her? Is she feeling ok?" Ormi asked, his eyes still fixed upon the heavy door that Leblanc had shut in front of them. "Is she mad 'cause we can't go to Besaid tonight? I didn't know she really wanted to see Yuna and them..."  
  
Logos turned to head up the stairs. "No, that's not it. Did you see her expression? It was clearly because of some other reason... She told us not to follow, but I can't shake off this feeling."  
  
Ormi turned to look at him as well. "You thinkin' we should follow her?"  
  
Logos had already turned back around to head down the stairs. He flung open the door, the empty darkness greeting them.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
***  
  
"Maechen!"  
  
"My, my. What a pleasant welcome this is," the old voice spoke happily, his arms coming up to hug the girl as well. He was startled by Yuna's sudden show of affection towards him.  
  
Finally pulling away, Yuna smiled. "What are you doing here, Maechen?" she asked.  
  
At that moment, Yuna couldn't help but wonder how Maechen was tangible. She should have been able to pass right through him. Wasn't he dead? The old man was only a memory from the pyreflies...right?  
  
"I apologize for leaving you earlier, Lady Yuna. I was starting to lose my energy to remain at the Farplane, that I had to leave for a while. Now that we're in Zanarkand, my energy is much stronger here," Maechen explained slowly. Robes brushing the ground, he made his way over to the side of the dirt path and sat down.  
  
Yuna sat down with him as well. She looked over at Maechen and waited for him to continue.  
  
He took a shaky breath. "This young man you spoke to me about the last time, you have not solved the problem yet, correct?" Maechen asked after some time.  
  
"No...we haven't."  
  
"And I feel that I am partly to blame," Maechen replied quietly. "I have a terrible memory, you see. I could not remember who this Shuyin was. My apologies, Lady Yuna."  
  
Yuna's eyes flew to him in shock. "No, no! None of this was your fault at all," she said quickly. Looking up into the brightly lit sky, she continued on. "If anyone should be to blame, it's me. It's because of me that Shuyin's here," she spoke quietly.  
  
"Oh?" Maechen began curiously. Yuna heard him mumble something to himself. After a while he turned to look at her once more. "Have you realized it yet, Lady Yuna?" he suddenly asked her, the moon shining down on his face.  
  
Yuna stared at him, wondering what he was talking about. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Lady Yuna, you say that you are the reason why this young man Shuyin is back on this plane, but don't you remember what we spoke about the last time we met?"  
  
Yuna looked down, trying to remember what Maechen had told her at the Farplane. Then, the words came flooding back to her. 'Even if you did feel something for Shuyin, perhaps we could assume that they weren't your own feelings?' the old man's voice echoed in her mind. Yuna's eyes slowly widened in realization. Her voice shook.  
  
"Maechen, it's Lenne, isn't it?" Yuna whispered. Even to her own ears, the words troubled her.  
  
The old man suddenly smiled. Yuna felt him grasp her hands gently. His hands warm around her own, she watched as he nodded gently to her, still smiling kindly.  
  
"It's been a while, Lady Lenne," Maechen spoke.  
  
Yuna's eyes widened at his words, and her vision began to grow dim. Almost as if a tidal wave of exhaustion had washed over her, she suddenly felt very tired at that moment.  
  
Maechen's form began to blur, and all she could see was darkness.  
  
***  
  
Leblanc walked in a daze up the path to the Farplane's entrance. The guard stood at the top of the pathway, sleeping while he stood. She marched up to him with determination as he saw her approach.  
  
"Move aside."  
  
"I'm sorry, my lady. But even with the defeat of Vegnagun, the Farplane still remains unstable," the guard replied to her, obviously more than a little intimidated by her presence.  
  
Leblanc snorted. "I don't care. Now move!" she retorted, moving past him.  
  
The guard simply stared after her as Leblanc walked up the path.  
  
***  
  
"Rikku, are you ready?"  
  
The Al Bhed watched as Paine made her way over to her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm ready. How's Yunie? Is she okay?" Rikku asked in worry.  
  
"She's fine."  
  
Rikku paced around the area, the small flowers falling under her weight, but surprisingly sprang back up again when she lifted her foot. Her green eyes drifted over to the waterfall that was falling silently behind them.  
  
"I don't know if I like this plan..." Rikku trailed off.  
  
Paine stood with her arms crossed, eyes gently closed. "I know. But she says it's the only way."  
  
"But why? Does she really have to-" Rikku began but Paine cut her off suddenly.  
  
"I don't like the plan either, but the only thing we can do now is stay here and wait."  
  
Rikku looked down and sat down right where she was, the soft flowers underneath her. She idly picked one, marveling at how soft its petals were. The flower held an almost ethereal essence to it. She gasped as she unexpectedly felt a warm gloved hand on her shoulder.  
  
Turning around, she gazed up into the eyes - or rather, the one good eye of Gippal himself. He gently smiled at her sideways.  
  
"Whoa, what are you guys doing here?" Rikku asked, her gaze moving hesitantly from Gippal to Baralai and Nooj who stood before her as well.  
  
Nooj walked over to Paine. "What's going on here, Paine?" he asked her.  
  
"I could ask the same of you," the warrior replied.  
  
"Never would have expected to see you two here," Gippal spoke quietly, his gaze sweeping from Paine to Rikku, and lingering on the Al Bhed for an extra moment.  
  
Rikku felt her cheeks start to warm as she saw Gippal watching her from the corner of her eye. She saw him walk over to her, the soft crunch of the flowers under his boots.  
  
"Baralai...uh...told us what's been happening," Gippal spoke quietly to her. She looked up into his face.  
  
"Oh, he did?" she asked him. Rikku looked down at her boots. She was starting to feel nervous under his intense gaze. Shyly raising her eyes to meet his again, Rikku watched as he began to speak.  
  
"Yeah, he did. Why didn't you guys tell us?" Gippal continued, returning her gaze.  
  
"We just found out ourselves," Paine interrupted gently.  
  
"Where's Yuna now? And what are you two doing here?" Nooj spoke up as well, turning to face the group.  
  
Paine turned her back to them for a moment. "Yuna's up at top. And we're here because she has a plan to rescue him from Shuyin's control," she explained to the three men.  
  
"So what are you guys supposed to do down here?" Baralai asked.  
  
"Hold on a minute! What are YOU guys doing down here?" Rikku spoke up, moving closer to the others.  
  
"We were at Besaid to visit with you, but we saw that you had left. Then we heard that a fayth had appeared at the temple," Nooj began to explain.  
  
"Yes, and the fayth told us about Shuyin," Baralai spoke as well, the breeze ruffling his collar and hair as he spoke.  
  
"That fayth told us that we could help you girls by waiting down here," Gippal said.  
  
"I see..." Paine replied after listening to them. "Strange, the fayth must know what's going on here..." she trailed off.  
  
"That's why we're all here waiting for Yunie," Rikku whispered to herself.  
  
Gippal turned around in time to hear Rikku's comment. Walking over to her, he placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. Rikku looked up at him.  
  
"It'll be ok. Your cousin'll come outta this one. She's saved the world twice, so this is nothin' for her," Gippal spoke, his sense of confidence rubbing off on Rikku as well. He smiled at her, causing the Al Bhed to smile back at him as well.  
  
***  
  
"Maechen, it's nice to see you again."  
  
"I might say the same to you, my lady," Maechen replied. "I knew it was your feelings that were responsible for the Lady Yuna's wish back then," he continued, looking down at Yuna's sleeping body.  
  
Lenne looked down as well, bending down to stroke Yuna's hair away from her face. "I know. I feel terrible about it, but I can't help but wonder why she still kept a bit of me with herself," Lenne continued, looking over at Maechen for help.  
  
"Ah, yes. It is puzzling, isn't it? To think that she mistook your feelings as her own...and now look what has happened," Maechen spoke, pacing around the area.  
  
Lenne stood before him, her body glowing with pyreflies. "But how was that possible? When she wished for him to come back, why did Shuyin come as well? Was she still able to feel my conscience within her?" the former summoner asked slowly.  
  
"I assume that is what happened," Maechen replied. He sat down right where he was.  
  
Lenne followed after him and sat down as well. "So where is Shuyin now?" she asked after some time.  
  
"Lady Yuna has not told me yet, but I have a feeling I already know. Shuyin must be inside the body of the other young man," Maechen answered.  
  
"I see," Lenne replied solemnly, her finger drawing Yevon's symbols on the dirt. Brushing away the words she wrote, Maechen watched as she stood and brushed herself off.  
  
"Maechen, this is because of me. It's because of my own feelings and my own wishes that they were intertwined with Yuna's. I have to fix this," Lenne stated.  
  
The old man stood as well, watching as Lenne walked over to Yuna's sleeping body. He realized what was happening and nodded.  
  
"I shall wait for you both then," Maechen said quietly, gesturing towards her and Yuna.  
  
Lenne turned and nodded back to the old man and smiled, her spirit beginning to enter Yuna.  
  
"I'll talk to him," her voice echoed as she disappeared. "Goodbye, Maechen. It's always a pleasure."  
  
Maechen bowed lightly at Lenne's fading form.  
  
"Until next time, Lady Lenne."  
  
***  
  
Yuna's eyes opened slowly, a bright glow shaking her from a deep sleep. Struggling to move her body, she felt her limbs were sore. Nonetheless, she moved up into a sitting position and moved her eyes around the area, one hand coming up to her throbbing head.  
  
She was in the middle of an endless void of darkness, surrounding her from all around. There was only one source of light in the area, and it came from her body. Puzzled, she looked down at herself. On her body was the now-familiar clothing of the Songstress dressphere.  
  
"Where am I?" she asked herself aloud, straightening herself to stand up.  
  
The last thing she remembered was speaking to Maechen at Zanarkand, and then there was darkness. Yuna faintly remembered that Maechen had said something to her before she had passed out - but what was it?  
  
"I'm glad you came, Lenne," a soft voice said from behind her.  
  
Struggling to focus her eyes in the dark abyss, the figure of a man stepped out into the dim light. Yuna froze at the sight.  
  
Shuyin stood there, one hand extending to her. He was in his own body this time, and Yuna couldn't help but gasp. Wait, if Shuyin was here, then where the hell was Tidus' body?!  
  
"What did you do with him?" Yuna asked, anger dripping from her voice.  
  
"Lenne, what do you mean?"  
  
Yuna shook her head furiously at him. "I told you. Stop calling me Lenne!"  
  
A pyrefly began to drift out from her fingertips as Yuna raised the hand to her face, eyes wide in alarm. Before she knew it, her entire body began to glow as she watched a woman with long, silky hair step out from her. The same flowing dress as Yuna herself wore, Lenne stood in front of her facing Shuyin.  
  
"There you are, Lenne," he spoke, a smile on his face.  
  
Lenne narrowed her eyes at him, one hand on her chest. "This isn't you, Shuyin. I thought you had let it all go. This isn't the you I remember," Lenne's voice echoed.  
  
Shuyin smirked at her. "But you still look as beautiful as I remember, Lenne. Come here," he whispered to her, stepping to where she stood.  
  
Yuna backed away from the two as she watched in silence.  
  
Lenne shook her head at him. "Why? What do you plan to do here? There's nothing left for you and I. Let's just let it all go," she pleaded with him.  
  
Shuyin chuckled, his voice loud in the empty space. "Let it go? After the time I spent wandering here?"  
  
Lenne gasped as he cupped her chin in his hand.  
  
"Yes, Lenne. This place is where I have wandered for a thousand years...searching for you," Shuyin spoke, his voice turning hard.  
  
Yuna and Lenne both looked around in the dark abyss that they were all standing in. The two could feel the loneliness that the place held.  
  
Lenne raised her eyes to meet Shuyin's again, the warm feeling his eyes once held long gone.  
  
"You're not the Shuyin I remember."  
  
He continued to chuckle, one hand grazing her hair gently. "Lenne, we can be reborn again. Don't you want to regain those years that were taken away from us?" Shuyin asked.  
  
"No, I've accepted what happened to us. I only want to rest now...but I can't. It's like you're different..." Lenne trailed off, a tear leaking from her eye.  
  
Shuyin saw this and frowned. "Even in death you and I aren't happy."  
  
Lenne wiped her tears away and stared at him. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I'll make you see that the life up there is better than remaining in the Farplane as dead souls," Shuyin spoke, his arms coming around Lenne's form tightly.  
  
Yuna's eyes widened as she watched three solitary pyreflies shoot out of him and into Lenne's body. She watched as the other woman fell to her knees, gasping for breath as Shuyin stood and watched her. After another moment, Lenne began to breath a bit more evenly again, as she struggled to stand. But Lenne began to gasp once more.  
  
"Y-Yuna...r-run...before I do something...that will...h-hurt you..." Lenne choked.  
  
The hair on the back of her neck stood as Yuna heard Lenne's words. As she struggled to make sense out of what was happening, Yuna watched Lenne stand up fully, the other summoner's eyes suddenly turning cold on her.  
  
"Hello, Yuna. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Lenne's voice echoed as she met Yuna's gaze.  
  
Shuyin stood behind her with a smirk on his face, arms crossed out in front of him in silent victory.  
  
"Now, come. I want to know what it feels like to be alive again," Lenne continued, beginning to take a step towards her. Yuna could not feel the warmth that Lenne's voice normally held. Her voice was cold and her eyes were void of emotion.  
  
Remembering Lenne's earlier warning, Yuna found herself bolting away into the darkness, leaving the two behind her. Without her weapons or anything to protect herself, there was no way to fight them off. As tears streamed down her face, Yuna wondered what had happened to Lenne. There was no way Shuyin could manipulate another person with pyreflies - but it seemed as if he could do anything, and that thought in itself was frightening.  
  
Shaking her head and continuing to run, Yuna quickly transformed into her normal clothing as her legs carried her. The darkness ahead of her didn't seem to end as Yuna continued, her footsteps echoing in the still silence. She didn't dare turn around to see if they were following her. The only thing Yuna wanted to do was get as far away as possible.  
  
Gasping for breath, Yuna couldn't bring herself to keep going anymore. She collapsed on the ground and struggled to breathe. Turning around hastily, she saw that there was no one behind her. She had been running for some time now, so she was safe for the moment.  
  
"How do I get out of here?" Yuna whispered to herself, tears continuing to fall.  
  
***  
  
All eyes focused on the swarm of pyreflies materializing in front of them. Rikku's breath caught as she recognized the old man.  
  
"Maechen!" Rikku and Paine both exclaimed at once. Baralai, Gippal and Nooj watched the old man in wonder as well.  
  
The old man had his head bowed in sorrow, as his form was now visible. He slowly raised his gaze to meet theirs.  
  
"It has begun," his voice spoke ominously.  
  
** End of Chapter 13 **  
  
A/N: Yes, so that's that. Let's see what happens in the next chapter!  
  
See you all there! And again, thank you so much for the supportive reviews! ^^ 


	14. The World About to Vanish

A/N: Thank you so much for your support everyone! We're nearing the end of the story, and I think there are only two or so chapters left here before the end. ;_;  
  
So I think the story will pretty much be done by Chapter 16 or 17.  
  
Um, let me think here. There doesn't seem to be anything else I should talk to you about, except just enjoy the chapter! ^^  
  
** Chapter 14 **  
  
"Gramps, what are you talking about?" Rikku asked, frowning in concern. She watched the old man carefully, wondering what the problem was. His sudden appearance meant that there was something wrong or that something had happened.  
  
Maechen looked at each of their faces, before taking a deep sigh.  
  
"Ohhh. This is terrible. Terrible indeed," his old voice finally spoke, eyes moving down to look at the ground.  
  
"Just tell us what's wrong," Paine interrupted. She was growing impatient and worried as well. "...Wait. This isn't about Yuna is it?" the warrior continued after a pause.  
  
"Although it brings me great pain to admit it, yes. This concerns the Lady Yuna...as well as the Lady Lenne..." Maechen answered regretfully, raising his head up to meet their gaze.  
  
"Lenne?!" Paine and Rikku exclaimed.  
  
"Where's Yuna?" Baralai spoke up as he began to walk towards Maechen.  
  
Another awkward moment of silence passed as everyone awaited Maechen's answer. Gippal and Nooj noticed that the old man seemed to be arguing with himself as to whether he wanted to tell them what he knew. But it was ridiculous to keep it a secret from them and Maechen knew it.  
  
"Well? Are you going to tell us?" Nooj finally spoke, voicing his thoughts.  
  
"What I am about to tell you is not pleasant, yet as her comrades it is your duty to help her," Maechen began, his words finally getting out.  
  
"What happened to her?" Gippal asked. His gaze drifted over to Rikku who was staring at Maechen, hanging onto his every word. It seemed as if the girl was about to break out of her worry for her cousin.  
  
"Perhaps the best way for me to explain is to simply show you," the old man answered, waving one hand in the air. The group watched as pyreflies began floating out from his hand as an image began to materialize in front of them.  
  
***  
  
She could hear her boots on the ground as she struggled to walk. The darkness was almost dizzying, swallowing her from all around. Since she had dressed in her normal clothing, the light that had emanated from the Songstress garment had disappeared, leaving only shadows.  
  
"Please, can anyone here me..." Yuna's voice shook tiredly. She had been walking around in a daze for some time now, yelling out to anyone who could help her, but finding out that there was no one that could. Her voice had given out and her legs could no longer carry her.  
  
Lost in the endless abyss, she felt her body grow heavy and no sooner fell with a thud on the ground.  
  
***  
  
"Yunie!!" Rikku exclaimed as her eyes watched in horrified silence at the scene that played before them.  
  
"Damn it..." Paine cursed under her breath. She turned her face away from the scene in disgust.  
  
"Where is she?!!" Rikku continued, tears threatening to fall from the girl's eyes.  
  
Gippal, Nooj, and Baralai could only watch in stunned silence. Gippal watched Rikku and felt the urge to walk over to her side in a motion of comfort.  
  
"The Lady Yuna is in...Shuyin's abyss. He has brought her and Lady Lenne there to feel his loneliness...however..." Maechen trailed off.  
  
"However what?" Nooj asked as he prompted the old man to continue.  
  
"Oh dear...how can I explain it. You see, a small part of Lenne's spirit still remained within Lady Yuna. To put it simply, it's because of Lenne's feelings that has brought the young man Shuyin here again, but Lenne and Shuyin are not the same people you saw that day on the Farplane. They are...different." the old man finished.  
  
"I've heard enough. It seems like we need to stop them both here and now to get Yuna back," Paine said, Maechen's words sparking something within her.  
  
"Hold on a minute. Are you sayin' that Shuyin AND Lenne are both here again? But how the hell is that possible? I saw them fade away!" Gippal exclaimed, trying to make sense of the whole situation.  
  
"Ah, yes. Puzzling indeed. Yet anything is possible if the feeling is strong enough..." Maechen replied, raising one hand to his chin thoughtfully.  
  
Rikku paused. "Anything is possible if the feeling is strong enough..." the girl echoed.  
  
"What do you mean, Rikku?" Baralai asked suddenly upon hearing the Al Bhed's words. He turned to face her. Paine looked at the girl as well.  
  
"You heard him. Maechen said if the feeling is strong enough, then we can do anything," Rikku began, beginning to walk away from the group. After a few steps, she turned back around to face them once more.  
  
"I think I know a way to bring Yunie back."  
  
***  
  
"Yuna...are you awake?" a soft voice echoed. "Open your eyes, Yuna. Open them and look at me."  
  
Yuna flinched slightly, a soft voice shaking her out of unconsciousness. She struggled to move her body around and found that her limbs were no longer sore. Her eyes opened. Turning her head to the side, a warm light greeted her and her ears could faintly pick up the sound of water flowing gently.  
  
She was laying down in a garden; the brilliant pinks, yellows, and violet colors of the flowers surrounding her. A quiet waterfall fell on the other side of the patch of flowers while a warm breeze gently blew. Was this paradise?  
  
"Where is this place?" Yuna spoke aloud to herself, her eyes scanning the area slowly, taking in the breathtaking landscape. She could feel her energy slowly returning to her as she continued to gaze around.  
  
"It's nice, isn't it?" a voice suddenly spoke from behind her.  
  
Yuna spun around quickly as her eyes met the form of Tidus. He smiled softly at her. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, taking a step backwards and away from him.  
  
Tidus met her gaze with a hurt expression in his eyes.  
  
"Yuna, it's me..." he began, taking a step closer to her.  
  
She paused and stared more closely at him. The first place she looked at was his eyes. Gentle, warm, and sparkling as they gazed lovingly at her. She studied his face. It was boyish, yet held that magic and hidden sense of mischief she knew and loved. He met her gaze hopefully. Her expression began to soften as she started to feel his familiar presence envelope her once more.  
  
Yuna watched him take another step towards her, a weak smile on his face as he tried to convince her it was indeed him.  
  
"I told you to whistle whenever you needed me. But it looks like we're both in trouble this time," he spoke softly, a hint of smile in his voice.  
  
Yuna's face lit up when she heard him speak those words as she felt her legs start to carry her towards him. Biting back a sob of joy that was threatening to escape her, she found herself running straight at him, not caring anymore - wanting nothing more than to be in his arms again.  
  
"I told you it was me," Tidus whispered as he caught her. He raised a hand to stroke her hair soothingly.  
  
Yuna laughed softly then - half-sob, and half-joy, her arms coming around him tightly as she felt his warmth come around her as well.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you before...after what happened..." she trailed off. His hold loosened around her until they were standing facing each other. He stared down at her seriously.  
  
"Where is he?" he asked.  
  
Yuna turned her head around to look up at Tidus.  
  
"I-I don't know. After I was running through that darkness I passed out and ended up here," Yuna explained. She stopped to gaze around the garden they were both standing in. Its beauty was simply majestic. Her eyes lingered on the flowers before raising up to look ahead to the waterfalls. She paused as the scenery caught her attention.  
  
"Wait...I know this place," Yuna began hesitantly. She bent down to look more closely at the flowers beneath their feet. Her fingers stopped to graze the soft petals hesitantly before bringing her hand back up to her chest, a frown on her face. "This place...it looks familiar..."  
  
Tidus raised an eyebrow at her, bending down to glance at the flowers she was looking at. "How? Where are we anyway?"  
  
Yuna paused. "Hold on. How did you get here anyway?" she asked him.  
  
Tidus stood up and offered a hand to her. She accepted it and he pulled her to her feet before speaking.  
  
"Just like you. I remember seeing darkness before I woke up and ended up...here," Tidus answered as his eyes studied the area once more.  
  
Yuna's eyes lingered on the waterfalls as they both took a moment to gaze at the scenery all around. After a few seconds of silence, she turned her face to him.  
  
"Remember when I told you that I accidentally went to the Farplane?" Yuna asked. She looked up into his face, awaiting an answer.  
  
"I remember," Tidus replied. He wondered where she was going with this.  
  
"This place..." Yuna began as she gestured around them. "It looks exactly like the Farplane Glen when I went...except it's a bit...different."  
  
Tidus said nothing but continued to look into her face, listening to what she was explaining to him.  
  
Yuna continued on. "The flowers are a different color here and the sky is bluer than before, but everything else is the same..." she trailed off and looked down. "But how do we get back home?"  
  
He raised his arms to come around her form and drew her close to him in an affectionate hug. He felt her move her head near the crook of his neck as they stood there in silence.  
  
"We'll find a way out," Tidus whispered to her.  
  
***  
  
Gippal turned to Paine. "What happened to Yuna's other plan?"  
  
"I don't know. I guess it didn't happen. Either way, Rikku and I were here to wish her back anyway," Paine answered thoughtfully.  
  
"What was Yuna going to do originally?" Nooj asked curiously.  
  
Paine sighed and put a hand to her head. "She was going to threaten Shuyin to get out of Tidus' body by pretending that she was going to hurt herself."  
  
Baralai paused. "But how could that achieve anything?"  
  
"I know. I didn't like the plan either, but she thought that by hurting herself, she would eliminate the only possible body for Lenne to take over..." Paine trailed off.  
  
"But I don't recall Lenne being hostile in any way..." Baralai interjected.  
  
"I know. I don't like the plan either, but it doesn't seem like it's going to happen now," Paine said.  
  
Rikku suddenly turned to Maechen. "Hey Gramps, can I ask you something?"  
  
The old man smiled gently at the girl. "But of course, my dear."  
  
"I've been thinking about what you said earlier. I want to know what you think about this new plan..." Rikku began.  
  
Maechen nodded quietly.  
  
The Al Bhed paused and looked at everyone hesitantly. "I don't know where Tidus and Yuna are, but if Maechen is right, then maybe we can bring them back here by our will..." Rikku explained.  
  
"...If the feeling is strong enough," Paine finished as she finally understood what the girl's plan was. She smiled softly at her. "I like this plan, Rikku."  
  
"Yeah, it just might work," Gippal agreed.  
  
Nooj and Baralai simply nodded in agreement as well.  
  
"My, my. This is rather interesting," Maechen suddenly spoke up, drawing everyone's attention to him once again.  
  
"What is?" Baralai asked.  
  
"I understand what you are all trying to accomplish, yet summoning back two people from the Farplane will be difficult. There's just not enough people here to summon such energy and-" Maechen said but was interrupted when he felt a gentle slap on his back.  
  
"What was that? Not enough people, love? Well that's why I'm here."  
  
The group watched as Leblanc and her two cronies made their way past the startled Maechen.  
  
"Why am I not surprised that you're here," Paine said as Leblanc dusted her dress off.  
  
"Bwaha! The boss has come to save you again!" Ormi laughed, his large hands on his sides.  
  
"Indeed," Logos agreed quietly.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here anyway?" Paine asked after some time.  
  
Leblanc huffed, insulted by the warrior's words. "Well! This is the thanks I get, hmm?"  
  
"So, are you going to tell us or not?" Rikku said as well. She regarded Leblanc with an impatient tone in her voice.  
  
"You know loves, I'll tell you exactly how I got here," Leblanc began. She spun on her heel and faced Nooj in dramatic charisma before moving to his side and grasping his arm. Nooj widened his eyes at her open show of affection.  
  
"It's because I felt Noojie calling me. I could feel his presence drawing me here," Leblanc explained as she held onto Nooj's arm.  
  
Paine tried to hide a snicker as Leblanc cuddled up to Nooj's side. The warrior could see that Baralai was trying to hide his laughter at Nooj's embarrassment as well.  
  
Gippal smirked to himself and mumbled softly under his breath. "Hm, I knew there was something between those two," he chuckled quietly.  
  
But Nooj had heard the other Al Bhed.  
  
"What was that?" he asked. Although Gippal tried to hide it, Nooj was able to hear his words quite clearly.  
  
Gippal turned to face the man in alarm. "Ahaha. Nothing, Noojster. Nothing at all."  
  
Rikku giggled quietly to herself before her expression turned serious once again. She turned to Maechen who was watching Leblanc's antics with amusement. She suddenly heard him speak.  
  
"Ah, this will do just fine," Maechen began. He looked around the group slowly before nodding his head in finality. "Yes. This might just bring the two back. There is enough energy between all of you to bring them back to our plane safely."  
  
"Ok...but how exactly do we do it...?" Rikku asked hesitantly.  
  
"It is simple, child," Maechen began. He paused for a moment as he turned his back to them. Nevertheless, he pressed on. "All of you. You must all close your eyes and clear your minds. Think nothing else except for the return of Lady Yuna and the young man. Do this and there is a strong possibility that the two of them will appear before us safe and sound," the old man explained.  
  
The group looked at each other before Paine nodded shortly. "Ok, let's do it."  
  
Leblanc thought this over for a minute. Logos and Ormi simply waited for her response.  
  
"Just think of her and she'll be back, right? Sounds painfully easy," Leblanc declared with a flick of her hair. She turned to the two next to her. "Boys, you heard the old man."  
  
"Yes, boss!" Logos and Ormi responded at the same time.  
  
Maechen nodded solemnly to the group as he raised his arms in the air.  
  
"Good, let us begin then."  
  
***  
  
Tidus' eyes widened as he suddenly felt his arms begin to go through Yuna's body. He quickly broke their embrace and stared at her, his blue orbs wide in alarm.  
  
Yuna gazed back at him in confusion.  
  
"Wh-what's the matter? Why are you looking at me like-" she stopped short when she looked at him as well. She could see his body slowly beginning to fade away.  
  
"N-not again. You're not fading away again, are you?" Yuna whispered in disbelief, tears threatening her eyes.  
  
"Yuna. Look down at your hands..." Tidus whispered slowly to her as he watched her body begin to grow translucent.  
  
She paused at his words but raised her hands up to her face hesitantly. She gasped as Tidus' face began to show through her hands as he watched her. She dropped her hands down and saw Tidus' body shimmer with light, his entire form radiating along with hers.  
  
"What's happening to us?" Yuna asked, her voice trembling.  
  
Tidus continued to stare down at himself, the sight feeling too much like two years ago on the airship.  
  
The two stood still as a faint voice began to emanate through the air.  
  
"Yunie...Tidus...can you hear me?" a voice echoed.  
  
Yuna looked up into the sky where the voice came from. She knew that voice anywhere.  
  
"Rikku!!"  
  
"Hold each other tight. You'll be home soon..." Rikku's voice continued to speak.  
  
Yuna looked at Tidus and he nodded gently at her before opening his arms. She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist as she felt him do the same. The wind began to blow furiously this time, shaking the small flowers beneath them violently. Yuna's hair waved wildly around as she tried to shield her eyes from the bright lights and dust.  
  
"It'll be over soon, Yuna!!" Tidus yelled through the wind. He held onto her tightly with no intention of letting her go. Both of their forms were starting to fade but they could still feel each other.  
  
"You'll be here soon..." another voice echoed.  
  
"I'll do you this favor, love," a soft voice called.  
  
"Paine...Leblanc...everyone! Is that you?!" Yuna called into the sky.  
  
Tidus raised a hand to cover Yuna's face from the wind and debris that began to scatter about the area. He winced as he felt a sharp slash on his arm from the debris that was flying through the air.  
  
Suddenly, the wind stopped. The voices ceased and the sky's blue hue was replaced by the unmistakable cloudiness of a dark gray sky. Still shielding Yuna with his body, Tidus opened his eye slowly, wondering what had happened.  
  
His expression turned hard as he instantly reached for his sword, shoving Yuna behind him as his blue eyes met the forms of the two people in front of them. Yuna opened her eyes and gasped in alarm.  
  
"Thought you could get away so easily, did you?" Shuyin said lowly. He smirked at their expressions and lazily brushed a strand of hair away from his eyes. Yuna's gaze trailed down to the sword he was holding in one hand.  
  
Lenne stood next to him, a long and elaborate staff in one of her hands. The ornament on the former summoner's weapon glowed brightly as she raised the staff in the air.  
  
"You can't escape," she spoke calmly, eyes cold and unfeeling.  
  
** End of Chapter 14 **  
  
A/N: Eee. Another cliffhanger. ^^; Sorry everyone, but my favorite part of the story is coming up in the next chapter and I promise it'll be up very soon! Until then! 


	15. Clashing Swords

A/N: Alright here we go. This is quite possibility one of my favorite moments in the entire story, so I made sure to make this chapter as good as possible.  
  
I can't thank everyone enough for their support through this entire experience with the story so far. We're almost done with the fic, but I'm not sure if I want to make Chapter 16 the last chapter or if I want Chapter 17 to close it. We'll just see later on and if I want to include a surprise for the end as well. ^_~  
  
One more thing. What do you all think about a possible GippalxRikku fic for the future? I've received a few questions wondering if I'd ever consider it, and it's a possibility. I can't make any promises though since my schedule is full as of late, but I'm toying with the idea of this pairing. As for the plot, I'm not entirely sure what I want to incorporate into it, but I have a faint idea in my head right now that I haven't seen anyone do yet, and I want to try it out. The only thing I can tell everyone is this: if you've played FFX-2 and speak to Rikku again on the deck of the Celsius near the very very very end of the game before entering the Farplane for the third time, the dialogue that Yuna has with Rikku is what I'm referring to. That's going to be the basis of my story along with more of course. It's such a turning point in Rikku's character in my opinion, and it was a bold move on Square's part to wait to show it until the very end. I want to expand more on what Rikku says in a GippalxRikku story since I was expecting her to talk more about her feelings. Besides, I think this couple is adorable. ^^  
  
But for now, here's the chapter that people have been waiting anxiously for and have been biting their nails over. Enjoy it everyone. =)  
  
** Chapter 15 **  
  
Tidus drew his blade out in one quick motion and prepared for the attack. He hadn't fought in nearly two years, but he could still feel his anger welling up from the thought of what Shuyin did.  
  
He raised a gloved hand and beckoned Shuyin and Lenne over, trying to provoke them.  
  
"Show me what you got," Tidus mocked them, clutching his sword tightly in one hand.  
  
Lenne's eyes narrowed at him. "Silly boy. You are still too naïve to understand anything," she spoke. Raising her staff high into the air, the wind began to blow furiously. Yuna watched as Tidus' body froze, an expression of shock plastered on his face from the Stop spell.  
  
A movement caught the corner of her eye as she saw that Shuyin had moved dangerously close to her while she was staring in horror at Tidus. Turning to look at him, she began to back away but no sooner saw the glint in his eyes as he swung the sword at her mercilessly.  
  
Yuna threw herself on the ground as the blade barely missed her exposed shoulder. Her eyes flew to him in shock, and the blade landed with a high shrieking noise in the dirt where she felll.  
  
Shuyin looked down at her with no emotion in his eyes as he raised his sword at her once more.  
  
"N-no..." Yuna whispered, the realization of death looming ahead. Her eyes widened as Shuyin came closer. Yuna glanced back to where Tidus was, his body still frozen in mid-attack. She was alone now.  
  
"I won't let you leave here," Shuyin stated plainly. His sword came up once more and he smirked at her as Yuna watched him, frozen from the shock. He swung.  
  
Trying to compose herself, she threw her body away from the blade's sharp surface and winced as her shoulder hit the hard ground. She felt a trickle roll down the side of her head and wiped it away with the back of her hand. Looking down, she saw that it was her own blood. Yuna winced again as she tried to move her ankle. A burning, painful sensation shot through her leg as she tried to move it.  
  
Rolling herself away at a safe distance, she reached behind and felt the familiar coolness of the pistols resting at her hips. With one smooth motion she drew her weapons and fired at Shuyin twice as she rolled safely away.  
  
But Shuyin was quicker. He dodged the two bullets as it grazed his upper arm, tearing the fabric and piercing the skin underneath as pyreflies promptly began to erupt from the wound. He looked down at himself and laughed at her attempts.  
  
"You think you can kill me? I'm already DEAD, remember?" he said to Yuna.  
  
She watched in silent horror as Lenne raised her staff once more. The ornament released a faint glow before the wind picked up and began to blow violently once more. Yuna's eyes widened in horror as the two began to approach her. She could hear her heart pounding loudly in her chest, dots beginning to dance in her eyes as her blood was pumping too fast in her head. She began to feel lightheaded as time began to slow down. Yuna could no longer hear what Shuyin and Lenne were saying. She only saw their mouths move as memories of her life sparked quickly in her mind.  
  
Yuna always thought that it was strange whenever people told her about their near-death experiences and how their lives at flashed before them. These were the people that had survived danger and lived to tell her of their experiences. Now she understood what they meant and how they felt.  
  
She remembered when she was a young girl in Bevelle and how her father had carried her through the temples while her small hands had reached up toward the statues of Lady Yunalesca. Although Yuna was still very young and her mind could not understand everything yet, she could still hear her father's words as clearly as if they were a tangible thing.  
  
"You were named after that lady, Yuna," Braska had whispered softly to her as her small hands had clutched his robes. "Your name comes from her, Yuna. She saved our world once a very long time ago, and gave us all another chance at life. Now it's my turn, Yuna. It's my turn to save Spira and give you a chance at living as well."  
  
His words were so soft as he told her this, but she never understood why his voice seemed to tremble as he finished. She had looked up into his face to see a tear fall from his eye and land gently on her cheek. Now she understood that he was silently saying goodbye to her. The next morning, Braska had left, and Yuna remembered riding on the back of a large creature with blue fur. He was very kind to her and held her very gently on his back. Kimahri had always been a loyal guardian...and an irreplaceable friend.  
  
She remembered Wakka and Lulu and her home in Besaid where her years leading up to being a Summoner had carried her. They had acted like the siblings she never had, always watching over her and acting much wiser than their years had revealed.  
  
An image of Tidus flashed in front of her eyes as she first saw him from above the temple steps. It was on the same day that she had become a Summoner, and that night when they first spoke to each other, Yuna could feel it. She felt that he was different, as if he was from another world. But her heart could not deny it. She felt his warmth and kindness when they spoke again on the boat, and how her feelings had started to grow for him. Her eyes began to water.  
  
Rikku and Paine -- the two people who had kept her smiling when Tidus was not there. Their tears, laughter, joy, and strength as friends together could never be replaced. They were the rare and loyal friends one always sought but hardly ever found. But Yuna was one of the lucky ones. She had found them, and the thought of leaving them was painful.  
  
Her vision cleared once more and she looked ahead to see Shuyin and Lenne standing before her, the wind blowing their hair wildly about, eyes cold and uncaring.  
  
'This is it...everyone...I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't stop them...'  
  
Two more tears leaked from her eyes before she felt nothing more. She had no more tears left to cry.  
  
She raised her eyes up once more, and froze as a red cloak grazed her face softly, an unknown person standing directly in front of her. A glow resonated from the figure's body as his figure was illuminated with pyreflies. Yuna's eyes followed the red cloak up past a high collar and saw the silver-streaked dark hair behind it. She looked down and saw the unmistakable heavy sword on his waist as a white jug hung on his hip.  
  
"S-Sir Auron...?" Yuna asked in disbelief as her eyes registered his form in pure shock. She winced again as another sensation of pain shot through her leg.  
  
"It's not your time yet, Yuna," Auron's voice echoed. He turned around and regarded her through his dark glasses.  
  
Shuyin and Lenne stopped in mid-step as they watched the red-cloaked guardian standing in front of Yuna.  
  
Auron bent down and studied her leg carefully. Yuna watched her former guardian with soft eyes as he remained in front of her. His body glowed brightly from the energy of the pyreflies that surrounded him.  
  
"You'll save yourselves," Auron spoke gently. Yuna watched as his hand hovered over her ankle as a faint glow was released. She could feel a cooling sensation replacing the pain on her ankle until she felt nothing. Her eyes trailed up to Auron's face.  
  
"You're healed. Now go," he said quietly, his form beginning to fade once again. Stopping once, Auron turned back around to look at her.  
  
"Remember Yuna, your friends are always with you."  
  
Yuna looked on and raised a hand out to him, trying to grasp his fading form.  
  
"Sir Auron...thank you..." she whispered. Auron nodded once to her and a bright light shot out from his body, the pyreflies taking over once more. Then he was gone.  
  
"My, my. Not strong enough to save yourself, are you?" Shuyin's voice suddenly spoke.  
  
Yuna's eyes flew to him. She stood up on both feet, the pain in her ankle now gone. Her gaze drifted over to Tidus. She paused as a flicker of movement caught her eye. Did he just move? Deciding that there was no other person that could help her, Yuna brushed her hair out of her eyes as she tried to figure out how to save Tidus. She carried no healing items with her, and no dresspheres at all. Mentally chastising herself for being so unprepared, she focused her attention on the bigger problem.  
  
"You are outnumbered, Yuna. There is no one left to help you," Shuyin continued to speak.  
  
Suddenly, he unleashed a cry and swung at her, the blade just barely missing her again. Yuna saw from the corner of her eyes that Lenne had stopped. The other woman was standing on the other side of the garden with a horrified expression on her face as she watched Shuyin.  
  
"Sh-Shuyin...what...what are you doing?!!" Lenne screamed, one hand coming up to her mouth in shock. It appeared that she was back to normal again, the original color returning to her eyes.  
  
Shuyin turned to her furiously after hearing her words.  
  
"So, you were able to break my spell? Are you going to betray me as well, Lenne?" he sneered at her.  
  
Lenne fell to her knees and cradled her head. "Who has possessed you? The real Shuyin would never do this!!" she exclaimed at him.  
  
Yuna paused as Shuyin had stopped in mid-attack. She backed slowly away and inched her way to Tidus' frozen form quietly. Stealing a quick glance at Shuyin, she saw that he was not looking in her direction. Yuna turned her gaze back to Tidus and touched his face with one hand. She shook his shoulder's gently, trying to shake him from the spell. In all her years fighting, Yuna had not known any other way to cure a Stop spell except with an Esuna spell. She looked into Tidus' blue eyes hopefully, trying to reach his soul.  
  
"Please, look at me..." Yuna pleaded with him, trying to keep her voice low. She looked back at Shuyin and Lenne. They were still arguing with each other. Yuna turned back to Tidus.  
  
"I need you now. More than I ever did before," she whispered to him again. One hand grasped his still hand. "Come back..." Yuna continued to plead.  
  
"He cannot hear you now," a voice spoke from behind her.  
  
Yuna almost choked on her own tongue when she heard Shuyin's voice. Her eyes drifted over to Lenne, who was standing behind him with a sad and mournful expression on her face.  
  
"Shuyin, please. Stop this..." Lenne spoke.  
  
"As soon as I kill you two, the process will be complete. Your friends will end up bringing Lenne and I back instead of you, and we will finally be reborn again," Shuyin continued to speak.  
  
Her head bowed low, Lenne's eyes filled with tears as she ran to Shuyin.  
  
Yuna gasped quietly as Lenne snatched Shuyin's sword from his hand and pointed it at herself. Shuyin watched with fear-filled eyes as the blade hovered dangerously close to Lenne's heart.  
  
"Y-You can't kill yourself, Lenne. We're already dead and-" Shuyin began, yet was promptly interrupted by Lenne.  
  
"Our bodies ARE dead, Shuyin. But what will happen if I kill my spirit as well?" she questioned.  
  
Shuyin seemed to freeze when she said this. "But you wouldn't-"  
  
"I will if you don't stop this," Lenne declared. She raised her arm and slashed it quickly in front of Shuyin's horrified eyes. Pyreflies immediately began escaping from where the wound was. Shuyin watched as her arm began to grow translucent.  
  
"You want to lose her again?" Yuna heard someone speak. She slowly turned around and met the blue eyes of Tidus. He raised a hand to draw her body near him protectively. Yuna choked back a sob from her joy and relief.  
  
"Thank goodness you're back," she said.  
  
He smiled weakly at her but suddenly let go. Yuna watched as Tidus picked up his sword where it had fell and advanced towards Shuyin.  
  
Shuyin raised an eyebrow at him. "I see you've finally come to," he began with amusement.  
  
"Takes more than that to slow me down," Tidus replied coolly.  
  
Before Yuna could even open her mouth, Shuyin had swung his blade down suddenly just as Tidus had blocked the attack, their blades letting out a loud, metallic shriek as the swords clanged. Shuyin grunted and slashed out towards Tidus again. This time Tidus was too slow and he winced painfully as the blade had sliced the surface of his exposed chest.  
  
"Hmph. So much for being the 'dream' of me," Shuyin mocked. He raised his blade again.  
  
Tidus had looked up just in time to deflect the attack with one of his own. The sword slashed right through Shuyin's body, pyreflies erupting from the opening. Yuna watched with wide eyes as the gash closed again, as if Shuyin was never hit.  
  
He looked up at Tidus triumphantly. "Told you I was already dead."  
  
Tidus froze. "Damn..." he cursed under his breath.  
  
Lenne shook her head violently as she watched the two men fighting. But suddenly she stopped. Yuna's eyes followed after her as she walked towards the two.  
  
"Shuyin," she suddenly spoke, her voice surprisingly even. This surprised Shuyin as well. He turned to her.  
  
"Your true form has returned," Lenne whispered. Her hand gestured to the empty space next to her as a swirl of pyreflies began to take shape. First the head, then the body, and finally the face. Yuna watched in stunned silence as another vision of Shuyin had taken form.  
  
"I-It can't be!!" Shuyin yelled as he saw his other form standing before him. The other Shuyin simply stood still with his eyes closed, pyreflies swirling about his bright silhouette as his golden hair fluttered in from the breeze.  
  
"I-I had abandoned those feelings long ago!" Shuyin said quietly as he stared at his other form.  
  
"You abandoned the person you once were," Lenne's voice trembled. A solitary tear trailed down her face. "Y-you forgot about the Shuyin I fell in love with and now look at you..." Lenne sobbed, her voice cracking.  
  
Yuna clutched Tidus, the emotion Lenne was displaying wrenching her heart as well. Tidus held her gently on his side as the two watched the other couple in silence.  
  
"I want you to go back, Shuyin. Go back to your old self," Lenne whispered as her hands gestured towards the other spirit of Shuyin.  
  
He suddenly dropped his sword, as if he forgot about fighting. Yuna watched as Shuyin's eyes stared straight ahead at Lenne and his other apparition. He suddenly fell to his knees with a look of pure pain and agony across his face. The color in his skin drained and his pupils turned a frightening shade of dark blue. Yuna held onto Tidus in fear as Shuyin began to shake his head violently from side to side, his breaths coming out in short, almost choking sounds.  
  
Shuyin looked up at Yuna and Tidus, his face full of sorrow and pain. Yuna could see the perspiration on his forehead as he met their gaze with sad eyes.  
  
"K-Kill m-me..."  
  
Yuna felt Tidus hold onto her more tightly as the two watched Shuyin in frozen shock.  
  
"Do it...and I can finally cease to become this 'shadow' that I have become...please..." Shuyin continued to whisper, his eyes looking back at his other apparition standing next Lenne.  
  
Yuna looked from Shuyin to Lenne in a desperate attempt. The other woman gently nodded once to Yuna before her eyes promptly started to fill with tears. Nevertheless, she smiled at Yuna sadly.  
  
"Don't worry, Yuna. Shuyin can finally reunite with his real self and cast away this shadow that he has become," Lenne whispered. She couldn't believe she was encouraging another to kill her love. But...it was the only way to save him.  
  
Shuyin met Yuna's gaze again. "I...I'm ready. The anger and loneliness I've felt all these years..." he paused and turned to Lenne. "I've forgotten why I was so angry. But you've made me remember," Shuyin continued. He looked at his apparition in silence.  
  
"Yes, that's who I was. I remember now. It's been so long since I've been that Shuyin, but I was him. The only thing I wanted to do was save you...Lenne..." he spoke softly.  
  
Yuna listened, her eyes beginning to water. Her heart felt heavy. Tidus said nothing but watched in silence.  
  
"I wanted to destroy everything when they took you away from me...I vowed that one day we would be together again. No matter what happened...and no matter how long it took. I knew that one day I would find a way for us to be together..." Shuyin paused. He stood up this time and walked slowly over to Lenne.  
  
She was crying, the tears cascading down her face as she listened to him.  
  
"It's taken a thousand years...but here we are. I didn't accept it the first time...I-I wanted more for us. I wanted us to live as real people again and experience life...but..." Shuyin trailed off.  
  
"...but our time is finished here, Shuyin," Lenne spoke sadly. She raised a hand to brush the hair away from his face gently. "This time we can rest together. I'm here now."  
  
Yuna watched as Shuyin turned slowly around to smile at her sadly.  
  
"I'm ready, Yuna. Kill me, and I can join my spirit," he spoke, voice even.  
  
Yuna's eyes flew to Tidus. He was staring back at her sadly, his blue orbs clouded. With one short nod, he backed away from her.  
  
Shuyin stood opposite Yuna, his arms held out to his sides. Nodding once to Yuna as well, he smiled weakly at her.  
  
Yuna's hands trembled. "I-I can't...I can't do this!!" she screamed at them. Her eyes landed on Lenne. She was still crying, her bright eyes glistening. Shuyin stood next to her.  
  
"Save us, Yuna. Save me..." he whispered.  
  
The wind seemed to stop this time, leaving only the still of silence. Yuna felt her hands gripping the cool surface of her pistols as she raised them up.  
  
It was strange actually. A moment ago, she wouldn't have hesitated to shoot him. Now however, it was...different. It felt wrong and was the last thing she would have done at that moment. Yuna could see the pain it caused Lenne, and also the pain it caused Shuyin. Both were trapped in an eternal struggle to free themselves from the chains of betrayal. Shuyin had wandered as a shadow for more than a thousand years, and the pain and emptiness were so strong that he had become a different person. He had become a shadow of himself.  
  
Yuna's eyes drifted over to Shuyin's apparition. That was the real Shuyin, and she needed to save them both.  
  
Her hands steadied themselves. She couldn't seem to stop trembling as a tear leaked from her eye. Yuna's finger hovered near the trigger as she looked at Shuyin one last time. He nodded to her again, and closed his eyes sadly.  
  
"Do it."  
  
As if time began to slow down, she felt herself pull the trigger. The deafening shot rang in her ears as she watched the bullet spark and fly out of the gun, the sound making her sick to her stomach. Her eyes flew up to Shuyin and she saw a single tear fall from his eye before the bullet entered his body. He simply stood there, his face looking up into the sky. Pyreflies immediately began to fly out from the wound.  
  
Yuna gasped in horror as she dropped the gun. Tidus ran to her side.  
  
"Wh-what have I done?" her voice trembled as she buried her face in Tidus' chest.  
  
He looked over to Shuyin. "Yuna, look..." he whispered.  
  
Yuna forced herself to glance over at Shuyin and Lenne once more. Through her tears, she saw something that made her heart stop.  
  
As she watched, the apparition of Shuyin suddenly entered his body. Lenne stood back and waited for the two spirits to join as a bright explosion of light was released. Pyreflies erupted as Shuyin stepped into his apparition. After the last of the pyreflies had vanished into Shuyin's body, the joining was complete.  
  
Casting one last glance and Tidus and Yuna, Shuyin spoke one last time.  
  
"Please forgive me for the trouble I've caused you both," his voice echoed.  
  
"Forgive me as well, Yuna..." Lenne spoke.  
  
Yuna wiped her eyes hastily with one hand and watched in silence. Lenne stepped over to Shuyin and they embraced each other. As their bodies began to grow translucent and the pyreflies emitted a bright glow from their forms, the couple turned one last time to them.  
  
"We can finally rest now," they both spoke at the same time, their apparitions barely visible.  
  
After another moment, the spirits of Shuyin and Lenne had vanished completely.  
  
"Thank you..." their voices echoed one final time.  
  
Yuna stood up and walked over to the spot where they had stood. She felt Tidus reach down to hold her hand as he stared ahead. She looked up into the now-blue sky where they had faded away.  
  
Although her heart carried the burden of what she had just done to Shuyin, she was glad that she had helped the couple find peace. Shuyin and Lenne's struggles had finally ended, and the two could now rest knowing that they had found forever.  
  
A gentle nudge shook Yuna out of her thoughts. Her eyes drifted over to Tidus and she saw what was happening to them.  
  
"Yuna...I think we can finally go home," he spoke as his hands grasped her's gently. His body was beginning to fade again.  
  
She looked down at herself and nodded with a hopeful smile. Yuna could barely see her hands as she watched herself begin to fade as well. Joining their hands together, she looked up into the clear sky and then back at him.  
  
"Let's go home."  
  
** End of Chapter 15 **  
  
A/N: Final chapter coming soon. 


	16. Because of You

A/N: Ah, yes. We've finally made it to the end. I think I've accomplished everything I wanted to tell in this story based on my own interpretations of FFX-2, as well as its more elusive, and hidden meanings. Part of the reason I decided to begin a story like this was because of the nature in which FFX-2 was presented. I felt that the plot was not solidified as much as I was expecting it would be, and I admit that there were plot holes in the story that left fans like myself and many others wondering the "what ifs" of the game.

Well, I've finally finished what I set out to do, and I'm glad you all have welcomed the story with open arms. I know you must have hated me each and every time I ended a chapter, because of those damn cliffhangers, huh? My deepest apologies, and also my deepest thanks to you all. Without your support and your interest in the fic, there would have been no other reason for me to continue, but because of you guys I did.

A possible GippalxRikku story may happen in the future, but not for some time. I really would want to do one, and this time it would be Rikku's story and her quest to fulfill what Yuna had helped her with... if you have seen that one scene I was talking about in the last A/N of Chapter 15.

Until then, the story is drawing to a close. ;;

=====

"_Time is so long that these tiny palms can barely hold it _

_At the end of a million-mile voyage,_

_We can still run across smiling faces." "Pray" from FINAL FANTASY_

=====

Finale: Chapter 16

They were drifting. A canvas of colors, its brilliant lights, and shades, blazed by them. Hands still joined, Yuna shut her eyes from the brightness and wondered how far they had gone and when they would arrive...to their home.

She imagined what it would be like to finally rest easy knowing the world was once again at peace. Although the people of Spira had thought that the end of Vegnagun meant peace for everyone, Yuna knew that it was not entirely true. Not everyone had found their peace. No...there were two people who had spent more than a lifetime finding that. And now they finally had it.

Shuyin and Lenne. The tragic couple had changed something within her. Perhaps it was because they had reminded her of herself and Tidus on a number of occasions, yet all four of them had felt the same sadness. Yuna knew how she had felt without Tidus by her side, and Shuyin had experienced the same when Lenne was taken away from him.

Yuna remembered that day after the defeat of Vegnagun. When Lenne had emerged from her body, she couldn't believe it. As Yuna watched Lenne and Shuyin reunite under that star-filled sky, her heart was both happy and sorrowful at the same time. She didn't think she could feel both of those emotions, but now the sorrowful part had dissipated. Shuyin and Lenne could now rest together.

Suddenly the movement stopped. Yuna felt a gentle squeeze on her hand and opened her eyes slowly, hesitantly.

Did they make it back?

As her eyes focused, she met the smiling face of none other than Rikku. Her cousin was smiling at her with tear-filled eyes as the pyreflies that had brought them back disappeared into the sky.

"Welcome back, Yunie..." Rikku whispered as she ran to Yuna in an embrace.

Yuna raised her arms to hug the small form of her cousin. She smiled happily.

"Sorry to have worried you all..." Yuna said softly.

"Took you long enough, Yuna," Paine said teasingly. Nevertheless the warrior walked up to Rikku and Yuna to join the embrace as well.

Tidus stood back and smiled at the three girls. He suddenly felt eyes watching him as he looked up to see three male faces he had never recognized before.

"Y-You!!" Tidus saw a man with an eye patch on his eye exclaim, one finger pointed accusingly at Tidus.

"Aha. Ah...hi there," Tidus stuttered nervously as the man continued to glare at him. Tidus slid his eyes around to another man who was leaning on a metal walking stick, and another man with silver hair. All three were all regarding him with suspicious eyes.

Yuna pulled away from the embrace and laughed when she saw the glares Tidus was receiving from Gippal, Nooj, and Baralai.

"Guys, why the suspicious faces?" Yuna said teasingly as she moved up to Tidus' side. He put an arm around her slowly while she looked up to smile at him apologetically.

"Indeed," Baralai began thoughtfully. He slowly smiled. "Rikku and Paine were right."

"Damn...never thought two people could ever look so much alike..." Gippal suddenly spoke up as he glanced over Tidus. He was no longer glaring. Standing with one hand on his hip, he continued to think over what Baralai had said about Tidus being the dream of Shuyin. The Al Bhed could hardly believe it.

"The resemblance is uncanny," Nooj said as well.

"Enough talk about how much he looks like Shuyin!" Leblanc interjected suddenly, much to the surprise of everyone. Tidus raised an eyebrow at her curiously. She had been watching the whole thing and couldn't help but laugh.

"You know loves, this calls for a celebration," she said.

Rikku's ears perked up at the mention of a party.

"Oooh! A party!!" the girl exclaimed. Throwing one fist into the air, Gippal couldn't help but smile when he saw her start to dance in place.

"Somebody stop her..." Paine said. Yuna could hear the smile in Paine's voice.

"You guys party a lot here, don't you?" Tidus suddenly asked Yuna. She laughed when he said this.

"They've always been fun," she replied with a smile.

"Yes, a celebration," Leblanc spoke as she began to head for the Farplane's exit. "Come on, loves. My treat this time," she said.

Logos and Ormi trailed after her, but Yuna caught the smiles on their faces.

"Wait for us, boss!" Ormi exclaimed as they caught up with her.

Yuna smiled at Leblanc's retreating form. It was strange really. When she had first met the Leblanc Syndicate, she had always been hesitant around them during their first moments as sphere hunters. Yet, when the bigger problems like Vegnagun arose, Yuna could hardly believe that they had stopped their petty fighting and actually sided with each other to save Spira. Yuna knew Leblanc had a soft side, and she was grateful that the other woman had begun to open up to the Gullwings.

With smile to shake away her memories, Yuna smiled up at Tidus. He smiled back at her warmly.

Looking around at Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal, she found the three men give her a short nod before heading after Leblanc as well.

"See you guys at that party, eh?" Gippal waved with a laugh.

"C'mon, Yunie!" Rikku exclaimed as she grabbed her cousin's hand and began to pull her away, dragging Tidus along with them.

Rikku led them out of the Farplane with Paine not to far behind. The warrior couldn't help but smile, her heart finally at peace knowing everything was settled once again.

And Yuna laughed, a brilliant smile on her face.

"There's just something I don't get..."

Yuna shifted a bit in his arms and turned her head to the side to look up at him.

"What is it?"

He paused. "Yuna...how exactly did he come back?"

"Through Lenne's feelings that were still within me..." Yuna replied quietly after a brief pause.

They were sitting together on the bank of the Moonflow, drunken voices drifting out from the party at Guadosalam. Leblanc had ordered a large banquet when they arrived back from the Farplane, and it was now approaching midnight. The Ronso had been invited as well, and Kimahri was glad to see everyone again. Even Buddy had dragged Brother out of his depression and Yuna saw them having a wonderful time. Even Brother had cracked a smile or two.

Yes. Everyone was happy that things were back to normal once again, and now they were ready for a long and well-deserved peace.

After the meals were over and the singing was complete, Tidus had approached her and whispered that he wanted to go outside. Unknown to everyone else, Tidus and Yuna had quietly exited the party for the time being. The short walk through the forest was peaceful as they walked hand in hand, and here they were now.

"That's what I don't get," Tidus answered slowly. He stared out into the pyreflies drifting over the lake, their soft glow providing enough light for the both of them.

"You told me that they faded away, so how was it possible that you had a little bit of Lenne still in you?" he continued after another pause.

Yuna leaned her head into the crook of his neck and sighed softly.

"It's something I don't understand either...but after everything that's happened, I think I know now," she began.

Tidus said nothing, his gaze fixed on a single pyrefly that was hovering in front of the shore.

"Maechen once told me that a person's feelings are able to remain within someone if they ever come into contact with those pyreflies...and that's what happened to me," Yuna continued on.

He looked over at her this time.

She sighed softly. "I guess it was all a big mistake. Shuyin and Lenne had already faded away together, but it was my fault that they returned. If I had been strong enough back then, Lenne's conscience wouldn't have remained within me and I wouldn't have wished for Shuyin to come back too..." Yuna trailed off. "None of this would have happened..."

Tidus gently turned her face to look at his. Yuna kept her eyes down.

"Don't say that, Yuna. You've helped them in more ways than one," he began.

Yuna turned her eyes at him this time. He smiled at her warmly and she couldn't help but be thankful that she had found him again. Even after what Shuyin had done to both of them, Tidus was still forgiving. Yuna knew that Tidus had probably felt the emptiness of being alone. Tidus knew how Shuyin felt knowing that being apart from the one person that could ever shed light on the darkest of sorrow was painful.

Even if they had fought, she knew that they had understood what was truly important. It was getting past the anger that inevitably brought happiness once again.

"You helped Shuyin let go of his shadow and find peace again. You helped them both rest easier too," Tidus spoke.

"Rest easier..." Yuna echoed quietly.

"Yup. And you know something else?"

She looked up into his face curiously. "What?"

He smiled at her again and wrapped his arms around her as they looked into the bright lake.

"It's because of you that I'm here, you know. Just knowing that you were here for me was enough, and now I'm able to hold you again."

Yuna felt tears begin to well up into her eyes as she listened to him. She turned around to face him fully this time, bringing her arms up to hug him. She felt his arms come around her warmly.

"We've beaten all odds to stay together, Yuna," she heard Tidus whisper gently to her.

She couldn't help but laugh softly at this, brushing away a tear that had leaked out from one eye.

"Together until the end," Yuna heard herself speak softly. She pulled back and stared into his endless pools of blue with an expression of pure tenderness.

He smiled gently and shook his head a bit before drawing their faces closer.

"Always and forever, Yuna. Always."

And as he whispered those final words to her, her heart soared as his soft lips touched hers in a tender kiss. She knew that he felt the same love that her heart held for him and much more. Transcending all barriers and crossing over the ages, the love they shared glistened like the very tears of happiness she was now crying—joyful, endless, and unstealable.


End file.
